279 Area CodeSacramento, CA
Area code 279 covers Sacramento and nearby communities in California, in the Pacific Time (PT) zone, home to about 2 million people across 46 cities. It overlays 916, so the same region uses both and every local call needs all ten digits.
Overview
- Major City
- Sacramento
- State
- California (CA)
- Timezone
- Pacific Time (PT)
- Current Time
- Overlay
- Yes – shares area with 916
Where is area code 279?
Area code 279 serves part of Sacramento, CA and the surrounding areas. It has a single overlay (916) that serves the same area.
Overview of the 279 Area Code
What is the 279 area code?
The 279 area code serves Sacramento, California, alongside other established area codes. When you see a 279 number, it indicates a local number within this geographic area.
Why was area code 279 created?
The 279 area code was introduced as an overlay to add numbers in Sacramento once the existing area code 916 began to run out of available prefixes. It added a new supply of numbers without requiring current residents to change their existing digits.
Geographic Coverage of the 279 Area Code
The 279 area code serves Sacramento and surrounding areas in California. It operates within the Pacific Time (PT) time zone. It complements the coverage of area code 916. This area code covers several key cities, including:
- Sacramento
- Elk Grove
- Roseville
- Arden-Arcade
- Folsom
- Citrus Heights
Got a call from a 279 number? It came from Sacramento, CA. Since 279 overlays with 916, every local call in the region needs all ten digits to land on the right line. Inside 279, Sacramento holds about 27% of the population; the rest is split across 45 smaller cities.
Sacramento Area Codes Overview
Sacramento is served by multiple area codes, reflecting its telecommunications needs. The 279 area code operates alongside 916. Here are the area codes serving this region:
The introduction of the 279 area code helped prevent number exhaustion, ensuring a continuous supply of phone numbers across the geographic area.
What cities does area code 279 cover?
| City | State | Population | % of Area Code | % of City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | CA | 535,798 | 7% | 100% |
| Elk Grove | CA | 182,797 | 3% | 100% |
| Roseville | CA | 163,304 | 2% | 100% |
| Arden-Arcade | CA | 92,186 | 1% | 100% |
| Folsom | CA | 88,091 | 2% | 100% |
| Citrus Heights | CA | 86,909 | 1% | 100% |
| Rancho Cordova | CA | 84,113 | 2% | 100% |
| Rocklin | CA | 75,129 | 1% | 100% |
| Carmichael | CA | 61,762 | 1% | 100% |
| Lincoln | CA | 56,268 | 1% | 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 279 been reported for unwanted calls?
Yes – 264 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing a 279 area code (May 29 – Jul 2, 2026).
- 72% robocalls
- ↓ 75% vs prior period
Most-reported subjects
- Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)51%135
- Other29%76
- Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends6%17
* 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 279?
9% assigned to a telco
- 92% Landline
- 8% Wireless
- 0% Unknown
| Prefix | Usage | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| (279)200- | Landline | Hd Carrier |
| (279)201- | Landline | Onvoy |
| (279)202- | Landline | Level 3 Communications |
| (279)203- | Wireless | New Cingular Wireless Pcs |
| (279)204- | Wireless | New Cingular Wireless Pcs |
| (279)205- | Landline | Level 3 Communications |
| (279)206- | Landline | Bandwidth.Com Clec |
| (279)207- | Landline | Metropcs |
| (279)208- | Landline | Metropcs |
| (279)209- | Landline | Skyetel |
Frequently Asked Questions about the 279 Area Code
Who called me from a 279 number?
A 279 number is assigned to Sacramento, California, so a call may come from there. But caller ID is easy to fake, and scammers often spoof a local 279 code to look nearby, so a 279 number doesn't prove the caller is local. Recently, 264 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 279 code (72% flagged as robocalls). If you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail; a real caller will leave a message.
Is 279 a scam area code?
No area code is a scam on its own. 279 is a normal, officially assigned code for Sacramento, California. Spam callers spoof local codes to raise the odds you answer, so 279 on your caller ID says nothing about who is really calling. Recently, 264 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 279 code (72% flagged as robocalls). Judge the call itself, not the area code.
Why do I keep getting calls from the 279 area code?
Repeated calls from different 279 numbers are usually spoofing: a robocaller rotates through 279 numbers so each call looks local and slips past simple blocks. Recently, 264 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 279 code (72% 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 279 number?
If you aren't expecting a 279 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 279 area code?
Block a single 279 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 279 code also stops legitimate local calls, so use it only as a last resort.
Where is area code 279?
Area code 279 covers Sacramento and the surrounding area in California, spanning 46 cities with about 1,953,215 residents. It shares its area with overlay code 916.
Is 279 a real area code?
Yes. 279 is an active code in the North American Numbering Plan, assigned by NANPA and in service for Sacramento, California. A real code can still show up on spoofed spam calls, so treat unknown 279 calls with normal caution.
What timezone is the 279 area code in?
The 279 area code is in the Pacific Time (PT). Because a number can be kept when someone moves or switches to VoIP, a specific 279 caller may not be in that zone.
How do I call a 279 number from abroad?
From outside the US, dial your country's exit code, then 1 (the US country code), then 279 and the seven-digit number. From a mobile phone you can usually just enter +1 279 followed by the number and let the phone add the exit code for you.