309 Area CodePeoria, IL
Area code 309 covers Peoria and nearby communities in Illinois, in the Central Time (CT) zone, home to about 728,000 people across 203 cities. It's the only area code for this region, so the three digits alone place the caller.
Overview
- Major City
- Peoria
- State
- Illinois (IL)
- Timezone
- Central Time (CT)
- Current Time
- Overlay
- No – unique area code
Where is area code 309?
Area code 309 serves part of Peoria, IL and the surrounding areas. It is a unique area code with no overlays.
Overview of the 309 Area Code
What is the 309 area code?
The 309 area code serves Peoria, Illinois. When you see a 309 number, it indicates a local number within this geographic area.
Why was area code 309 created?
The 309 area code was established to serve the Peoria region in Illinois. It provides telephone number coverage across 203 cities.
Geographic Coverage of the 309 Area Code
The 309 area code serves Peoria and surrounding areas in Illinois. It operates within the Central Time (CT) time zone. This area code covers several key cities, including:
- Peoria
- Bloomington
- Normal
- Moline
- Rock Island
- Pekin
Got a call from a 309 number? It came from Peoria, IL. No other area code overlaps the 309 territory, so the prefix alone identifies where the caller is. Inside 309, Peoria holds about 15% of the population; the rest is split across 202 smaller cities.
Peoria Area Code Overview
The 309 area code provides comprehensive telephone coverage for Peoria 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 309 cover?
| City | State | Population | % of Area Code | % of City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | IL | 111,696 | 1% | 100% |
| Bloomington | IL | 79,232 | 0% | 100% |
| Normal | IL | 53,304 | 0% | 100% |
| Moline | IL | 42,442 | 0% | 100% |
| Rock Island | IL | 36,434 | 0% | 100% |
| Pekin | IL | 31,266 | 0% | 100% |
| Galesburg | IL | 29,289 | 0% | 100% |
| East Peoria | IL | 22,024 | 0% | 100% |
| East Moline | IL | 20,995 | 0% | 100% |
| Morton | IL | 17,557 | 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 309 been reported for unwanted calls?
Yes – 1,498 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing a 309 area code (May 29 – Jul 2, 2026).
- 83% robocalls
- ↓ 14% vs prior period
Most-reported subjects
- Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans)56%834
- Other26%396
- Calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends8%119
* 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 309?
76% assigned to a telco
- 81% Landline
- 19% Wireless
- 0% Unknown
| Prefix | Usage | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| (309)200- | Landline | Ymax Communications |
| (309)201- | Wireless | United States Cellular |
| (309)202- | Wireless | Verizon Wireless |
| (309)203- | Wireless | New Cingular Wireless Pcs |
| (309)204- | Landline | Bandwidth.Com Clec |
| (309)205- | Landline | Centurylink Communications |
| (309)206- | Landline | Illinois Bell Tel Co |
| (309)207- | Wireless | Verizon Wireless |
| (309)208- | Wireless | Sprint Spectrum |
| (309)209- | Landline | Nuso |
Frequently Asked Questions about the 309 Area Code
Who called me from a 309 number?
A 309 number is assigned to Peoria, Illinois, so a call may come from there. But caller ID is easy to fake, and scammers often spoof a local 309 code to look nearby, so a 309 number doesn't prove the caller is local. Recently, 1,498 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 309 code (83% flagged as robocalls). If you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail; a real caller will leave a message.
Is 309 a scam area code?
No area code is a scam on its own. 309 is a normal, officially assigned code for Peoria, Illinois. Spam callers spoof local codes to raise the odds you answer, so 309 on your caller ID says nothing about who is really calling. Recently, 1,498 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 309 code (83% flagged as robocalls). Judge the call itself, not the area code.
Why do I keep getting calls from the 309 area code?
Repeated calls from different 309 numbers are usually spoofing: a robocaller rotates through 309 numbers so each call looks local and slips past simple blocks. Recently, 1,498 unwanted-call complaints were reported to the FTC for numbers showing the 309 code (83% 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 309 number?
If you aren't expecting a 309 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 309 area code?
Block a single 309 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 309 code also stops legitimate local calls, so use it only as a last resort.
Where is area code 309?
Area code 309 covers Peoria and the surrounding area in Illinois, spanning 203 cities with about 728,223 residents. No other code overlays this region, so 309 alone identifies the area.
Is 309 a real area code?
Yes. 309 is an active code in the North American Numbering Plan, assigned by NANPA and in service for Peoria, Illinois. A real code can still show up on spoofed spam calls, so treat unknown 309 calls with normal caution.
What timezone is the 309 area code in?
The 309 area code is in the Central Time (CT). Because a number can be kept when someone moves or switches to VoIP, a specific 309 caller may not be in that zone.
How do I call a 309 number from abroad?
From outside the US, dial your country's exit code, then 1 (the US country code), then 309 and the seven-digit number. From a mobile phone you can usually just enter +1 309 followed by the number and let the phone add the exit code for you.