Atlanta Area Codes: What They Are and How They Work

If you live in Atlanta, are visiting, or are moving here, you’ll quickly notice that the city doesn’t run on just one area code. When people ask “What is Atlanta’s area code?”, the accurate answer is: Atlanta has several area codes, and which one you use depends on where you are and when the number was assigned.

Atlanta’s Main Area Codes at a Glance

Atlanta and its surrounding metro area currently use multiple overlay area codes:

In everyday conversation, many locals still think of 404 as “Atlanta’s area code,” but in practice all five serve Atlanta-area residents and businesses.

404: The Classic Atlanta Area Code

404 is the original Atlanta area code and is still strongly associated with the city itself.

You’ll commonly see 404 numbers used for:

• Intown neighborhoods like Midtown, Downtown, Old Fourth Ward, West End, Grant Park, and Buckhead
• Long-established businesses, institutions, and city services
• People who have had the same Atlanta number for many years

Because 404 numbers are limited and highly recognized, they can feel “premium” or “classic Atlanta.” Many residents take pride in having a 404 number—it’s become part of the city’s identity.

770: The Suburban Metro Ring

As Atlanta’s population sprawled outward, 770 was introduced to serve the surrounding suburbs.

You’ll commonly see 770 used in:

• Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw)
• Gwinnett County (Duluth, Lawrenceville, Norcross)
• North Fulton suburbs (Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek)
• Other nearby metro areas like Douglasville, Peachtree City, and many more

If you’re outside the Perimeter (I-285) in a residential neighborhood, there’s a good chance your landline or older cell number might be 770.

678 and 470: Overlays Across City and Suburbs

When 404 and 770 started to run out of available numbers, the region added overlay area codes:

• 678 was introduced first as an overlay for both 404 and 770
• 470 was later added as another overlay

An overlay means the same geographic region can share multiple area codes. So you might live in Midtown and have a 678 cell number, while your neighbor has 404, and your coworker in Sandy Springs has 470.

In practical terms:

• 678 and 470 can be assigned anywhere in the greater Atlanta metro area
• They do not indicate whether a number is “inside” or “outside” the Perimeter
• New mobile lines and some VoIP or internet-based numbers commonly use these codes

943: The Newest Atlanta Overlay

To handle continued growth and demand for new numbers, 943 was added as the newest overlay for the Atlanta area.

What that means for you:

• You may start seeing 943 numbers used by new cell phones, new business lines, and online-based phone services
• Like 678 and 470, 943 covers the same general region as the other Atlanta-area codes
• Having a 943 number is just as local to metro Atlanta as 404, 770, 678, or 470

If you get a new phone or line in the coming years, there’s a good chance your number could be 943, especially as older blocks of numbers fill up.

Do Area Codes in Atlanta Correspond to Specific Neighborhoods?

Not reliably anymore. Historically, area codes gave clues about where someone lived:

• 404 = seen as “intown Atlanta”
• 770 = typically “suburban ring”

Today, because of overlays and mobile phones:

• You can have a 404 number and live in Gwinnett or even outside the metro
• You can have a 770 number while living in a condo in Buckhead
• 678, 470, and 943 are spread throughout the city and suburbs

So while older numbers might hint at where someone originally set up service, area codes are no longer a precise map of neighborhoods or districts in Atlanta.

Why Does Atlanta Have So Many Area Codes?

Several factors led to multiple area codes in the Atlanta region:

• Population growth in the City of Atlanta and the broader metro area
• The rise of cell phones, business lines, and internet-based phones
• The need to avoid constantly redrawing geographic boundaries

Adding overlay area codes (678, 470, 943) allowed:

• Existing 404 and 770 customers to keep their numbers
• New numbers to be assigned without forcing anyone to change
• The entire metro region to share the same pool of area codes

For residents and visitors, the main impact is that you must dial 10 digits (area code + number) for most local calls.

How to Dial Local Numbers in Atlanta

In the Atlanta area, you’ll generally use 10-digit dialing:

1. Dial the 3-digit area code (404, 770, 678, 470, or 943)
2. Then dial the 7-digit local number

You normally do not need to dial “1” before the area code for local calls from most mobile phones, though some landlines may still require it.

Key points for dialing:

• Local calls within the Atlanta metro still count as local based on your phone plan, not just the area code
• Emergency services are still 911—area codes don’t affect that
• When saving contacts, it’s best to always store the full 10-digit number

Using Atlanta Area Codes When You’re Visiting

If you’re visiting Atlanta:

• You can call local businesses with any Atlanta-area code—404, 770, 678, 470, and 943 are all local
• Rideshare drivers, restaurants, hotels, and venues may have any of these codes
• When you see an unfamiliar 678, 470, or 943 number while you’re in town, it’s likely still local to the area

If you’re calling from out of state:

• Dial 1 + the Atlanta area code + the seven-digit number

Getting a New Local Atlanta Number

If you’re moving to Atlanta or setting up a local business line, your new number might be:

• 404 or 770 (if an older block is still available)
• 678, 470, or 943 (more common for new assignments)

Most major carriers in the Atlanta region can assign any of the active local area codes, though you usually can’t choose a specific code on demand. Availability can vary by carrier and the number pool they’re using at the time.

Common Questions About Atlanta Area Codes

1. Is 404 still considered “real Atlanta”?
Many locals associate 404 with “core Atlanta,” but in practice, all of the listed area codes serve people living and working in Atlanta. Your area code doesn’t affect your “localness” in daily life.

2. Do I need to change my number if I move across town?
Usually no. If you move from Midtown to Sandy Springs, or from Decatur to Alpharetta, you can typically keep your number, regardless of its area code.

3. Are all these area codes covered by the same services?
Yes. Whether you have 404, 770, 678, 470, or 943, your ability to call, text, and use local services is the same, assuming your phone plan covers the Atlanta metro.

Quick Reference: Atlanta’s Area Codes

• 404 – Original Atlanta code; historically intown, now used widely
• 770 – Metro suburbs around Atlanta; also used broadly
• 678 – Overlay across city and suburbs
• 470 – Additional overlay, also metro-wide
• 943 – Newest overlay for the greater Atlanta region

If you’re in or around Atlanta, any of these can be local, valid Atlanta-area codes.