205 Area CodeBirmingham, AL
Area code 205 covers Birmingham and nearby communities in Alabama, in the Central Time (CT) zone, home to about 1.1 million people across 175 cities. It's the only area code for this region, so the three digits alone place the caller.
Overview
- Major City
- Birmingham
- State
- Alabama (AL)
- Timezone
- Central Time (CT)
- Current Time
- Overlay
- No – unique area code
Where is area code 205?
Area code 205 serves part of Birmingham, AL and the surrounding areas. It is a unique area code with no overlays.
Overview of the 205 Area Code
What is the 205 area code?
The 205 area code serves Birmingham, Alabama. When you see a 205 number, it indicates a local number within this geographic area.
Why was area code 205 created?
The 205 area code was established to serve the Birmingham region in Alabama. It provides telephone number coverage across 175 cities.
Geographic Coverage of the 205 Area Code
The 205 area code serves Birmingham and surrounding areas in Alabama. It operates within the Central Time (CT) time zone. This area code covers several key cities, including:
- Birmingham
- Tuscaloosa
- Hoover
- Vestavia Hills
- Alabaster
- Northport
Got a call from a 205 number? It came from Birmingham, AL. No other area code overlaps the 205 territory, so the prefix alone identifies where the caller is. Inside 205, Birmingham holds about 17% of the population; the rest is split across 174 smaller cities.
Birmingham Area Code Overview
The 205 area code provides comprehensive telephone coverage for Birmingham and its surrounding communities. As the sole area code for this region, it uniquely identifies all local numbers within the service area.
What cities does area code 205 cover?
| City | State | Population | % of Area Code | % of City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | AL | 196,357 | 1% | 100% |
| Tuscaloosa | AL | 114,288 | 1% | 100% |
| Hoover | AL | 93,013 | 0% | 100% |
| Vestavia Hills | AL | 38,151 | 0% | 100% |
| Alabaster | AL | 34,460 | 0% | 100% |
| Northport | AL | 31,492 | 0% | 100% |
| Homewood | AL | 27,919 | 0% | 100% |
| Trussville | AL | 27,079 | 0% | 100% |
| Pelham | AL | 25,396 | 0% | 100% |
| Bessemer | AL | 25,079 | 0% | 100% |
* Sources: Population – U.S. Census Bureau PEP, Vintage 2024 (SUB-IP-EST2024-POP). Area code assignments – NANPA CO Code data. See our data methodology.
Has area code 205 been reported for unwanted calls?
Yes – 1,311 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing a 205 area code (May 29 – Jul 2, 2026).
- 77% robocalls
- ↓ 8% vs prior period
Most-reported subjects
- Other36%478
- Dropped call or no message21%280
- Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)17%219
* Caller ID is easily spoofed, so these figures reflect the number shown on caller ID, not the caller's true location – an area code alone never identifies a caller. The FTC does not verify the facts in these complaints. Source: FTC Do Not Call (DNC) Reported Calls Data, retrieved 2026-07-05.
Which prefixes and exchanges belong to area code 205?
78% assigned to a telco
- 71% Landline
- 29% Wireless
- 0% Unknown
| Prefix | Usage | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| (205)200- | Landline | Powertel Birmingham Licenses |
| (205)201- | Landline | Bright House Ntws Information Svcs (Alabama) |
| (205)202- | Landline | Bright House Ntws Information Svcs (Alabama) |
| (205)203- | Landline | Onvoy |
| (205)204- | Landline | South Central Bell Tel |
| (205)206- | Landline | South Central Bell Tel |
| (205)207- | Landline | Powertel Birmingham Licenses |
| (205)208- | Landline | Bandwidth.Com Clec |
| (205)209- | Wireless | Verizon Wireless |
| (205)210- | Wireless | Sprint Spectrum |
Frequently Asked Questions about the 205 Area Code
Who called me from a 205 number?
A 205 number is assigned to Birmingham, Alabama, so a call may come from there. But caller ID is easy to fake, and scammers often spoof a local 205 code to look nearby, so a 205 number doesn't prove the caller is local. Recently, 1,311 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 205 code (77% flagged as robocalls). If you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail; a real caller will leave a message.
Is 205 a scam area code?
No area code is a scam on its own. 205 is a normal, officially assigned code for Birmingham, Alabama. Spam callers spoof local codes to raise the odds you answer, so 205 on your caller ID says nothing about who is really calling. Recently, 1,311 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 205 code (77% flagged as robocalls). Judge the call itself, not the area code.
Why do I keep getting calls from the 205 area code?
Repeated calls from different 205 numbers are usually spoofing: a robocaller rotates through 205 numbers so each call looks local and slips past simple blocks. Recently, 1,311 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 205 code (77% flagged as robocalls). Blocking one number rarely helps; voicemail screening, your carrier spam filter, and the Do Not Call Registry work better.
Should I answer an unknown 205 number?
If you aren't expecting a 205 call, let it ring to voicemail. Legitimate callers leave a message, most robocallers hang up when no one picks up, and answering can mark your number as active and bring more calls.
How do I block calls from the 205 area code?
Block a single 205 number from your recent-calls list (iPhone: tap the number, then Block this Caller; Android: tap the number, then Block or report spam). To cut the volume, turn on Silence Unknown Callers on iPhone or spam protection on Android, enable spam filtering from your carrier, and register at DoNotCall.gov. Blocking the entire 205 code also stops legitimate local calls, so use it only as a last resort.
Where is area code 205?
Area code 205 covers Birmingham and the surrounding area in Alabama, spanning 175 cities with about 1,139,814 residents. No other code overlays this region, so 205 alone identifies the area.
Is 205 a real area code?
Yes. 205 is an active code in the North American Numbering Plan, assigned by NANPA and in service for Birmingham, Alabama. A real code can still show up on spoofed spam calls, so treat unknown 205 calls with normal caution.
What timezone is the 205 area code in?
The 205 area code is in the Central Time (CT). Because a number can be kept when someone moves or switches to VoIP, a specific 205 caller may not be in that zone.
How do I call a 205 number from abroad?
From outside the US, dial your country's exit code, then 1 (the US country code), then 205 and the seven-digit number. From a mobile phone you can usually just enter +1 205 followed by the number and let the phone add the exit code for you.