252 Area CodeGreenville, NC
Area code 252 covers Greenville and nearby communities in North Carolina, in the Eastern Time (ET) zone, home to about 559,000 people across 181 cities. It's the only area code for this region, so the three digits alone place the caller.
Overview
- Major City
- Greenville
- State
- North Carolina (NC)
- Timezone
- Eastern Time (ET)
- Current Time
- Overlay
- No – unique area code
Where is area code 252?
Area code 252 serves part of Greenville, NC and the surrounding areas. It is a unique area code with no overlays.
Overview of the 252 Area Code
What is the 252 area code?
The 252 area code serves Greenville, North Carolina. When you see a 252 number, it indicates a local number within this geographic area.
Why was area code 252 created?
The 252 area code was established to serve the Greenville region in North Carolina. It provides telephone number coverage across 181 cities.
Geographic Coverage of the 252 Area Code
The 252 area code serves Greenville and surrounding areas in North Carolina. It operates within the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. This area code covers several key cities, including:
- Greenville
- Rocky Mount
- Wilson
- New Bern
- Kinston
- Elizabeth City
Got a call from a 252 number? It came from Greenville, NC. No other area code overlaps the 252 territory, so the prefix alone identifies where the caller is. Inside 252, Greenville holds about 17% of the population; the rest is split across 180 smaller cities.
Greenville Area Code Overview
The 252 area code provides comprehensive telephone coverage for Greenville 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 252 cover?
| City | State | Population | % of Area Code | % of City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | NC | 95,138 | 0% | 100% |
| Rocky Mount | NC | 54,541 | 0% | 100% |
| Wilson | NC | 48,579 | 0% | 100% |
| New Bern | NC | 34,218 | 0% | 100% |
| Kinston | NC | 19,519 | 0% | 100% |
| Elizabeth City | NC | 19,028 | 0% | 100% |
| Havelock | NC | 17,407 | 0% | 100% |
| Henderson | NC | 14,807 | 0% | 100% |
| Roanoke Rapids | NC | 14,573 | 0% | 100% |
| Tarboro | NC | 10,954 | 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 252 been reported for unwanted calls?
Yes – 577 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing a 252 area code (May 29 – Jul 2, 2026).
- 43% robocalls
- ↓ 4% vs prior period
Most-reported subjects
- Other41%235
- Medical & prescriptions14%80
- Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends10%56
* 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 252?
65% assigned to a telco
- 76% Landline
- 24% Wireless
- 0% Unknown
| Prefix | Usage | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| (252)200- | Landline | At&T |
| (252)201- | Landline | Mcimetro Access Transmission Services |
| (252)202- | Wireless | New Cingular Wireless Pcs |
| (252)203- | Wireless | T-Mobile Usa |
| (252)204- | Wireless | Verizon Wireless |
| (252)205- | Wireless | T-Mobile Usa |
| (252)206- | Landline | Centurylink |
| (252)207- | Wireless | New Cingular Wireless Pcs |
| (252)208- | Landline | Centurylink |
| (252)209- | Landline | Centurylink |
Frequently Asked Questions about the 252 Area Code
Who called me from a 252 number?
A 252 number is assigned to Greenville, North Carolina, so a call may come from there. But caller ID is easy to fake, and scammers often spoof a local 252 code to look nearby, so a 252 number doesn't prove the caller is local. Recently, 577 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 252 code (43% flagged as robocalls). If you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail; a real caller will leave a message.
Is 252 a scam area code?
No area code is a scam on its own. 252 is a normal, officially assigned code for Greenville, North Carolina. Spam callers spoof local codes to raise the odds you answer, so 252 on your caller ID says nothing about who is really calling. Recently, 577 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 252 code (43% flagged as robocalls). Judge the call itself, not the area code.
Why do I keep getting calls from the 252 area code?
Repeated calls from different 252 numbers are usually spoofing: a robocaller rotates through 252 numbers so each call looks local and slips past simple blocks. Recently, 577 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 252 code (43% 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 252 number?
If you aren't expecting a 252 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 252 area code?
Block a single 252 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 252 code also stops legitimate local calls, so use it only as a last resort.
Where is area code 252?
Area code 252 covers Greenville and the surrounding area in North Carolina, spanning 181 cities with about 559,043 residents. No other code overlays this region, so 252 alone identifies the area.
Is 252 a real area code?
Yes. 252 is an active code in the North American Numbering Plan, assigned by NANPA and in service for Greenville, North Carolina. A real code can still show up on spoofed spam calls, so treat unknown 252 calls with normal caution.
What timezone is the 252 area code in?
The 252 area code is in the Eastern Time (ET). Because a number can be kept when someone moves or switches to VoIP, a specific 252 caller may not be in that zone.
How do I call a 252 number from abroad?
From outside the US, dial your country's exit code, then 1 (the US country code), then 252 and the seven-digit number. From a mobile phone you can usually just enter +1 252 followed by the number and let the phone add the exit code for you.