The 978 area code is a dialing number established in the north-central and most of the northeastern portion of Massachusetts. It possesses a single overlay, the codification 351, which runs in the same service area.
These two codifications are part of the 9 prefixes that constitute the telecommunication system of Massachusetts. This state symbolizes a significant economic and industrial center for the New England region of the country.
Located in the Eastern Daylight time zone, the 978 area code surrounds 66 cities including Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Peabody, and Salem.
1. History
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts originally divided its telephone network into two numbering plan areas whit the establishment of the North American Numbering Plan in 1947. The 617 area code located in the eastern two-thirds of the state, and the 413 dialing code surrounded the western section.
By 1988 the codification 508, currently, the main prefix of Massachusetts, started serving in the southern side of the province. This area code created from the number 617, which was split on September 1, 1997, opened the way for the 978 area code.
The introduction of this new codification had the intention of avoiding congestion in the network. Nevertheless, the proliferation of cell phones and fax machines in the region made it necessary to start up an overlay plan for the northern area.
In this way, on May 2, 2001, the 351 area code began running as an overlay for the prefix 978, becoming mandatory ten-digit local dialing in the zone.
2. Location
Situated in the New England region of the U.S. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts lies in the northeastern corner of the country. Covering a total area of 10,555 square miles this state is the 7th smallest territory of the nation but stands out as the most populated of the 7 New England states with around 7.1 million residents.
Admitted to the union on February 6, 1788, Massachusetts comprises 351 municipalities, divided into 294 towns and 57 cities, including Boston that is the city-state capital and largest municipality in New England.
Massachusetts currently remains in the Eastern Daylight time zone just like Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island. Some of the most important economic areas in the state are the higher education sector, health care, finance, information technology, and manufacturing.
Covering most of the northern portion of the state, the 978 area code disposes of 121 non-unique postal area zip codes and surrounds 1826.85 square miles.
Adjacent codes
As we explained before, the Massachusetts telephone network is compounded by 9 prefixes; being the 508 area code the most populated codification serving an estimated 1.8 million users. This code encloses Bristol and Worcester counties and owns just one overlay, the number 774.
The newest codification added to the system is precisely the 774 area code installed in 2001. On the other hand, the oldest dialing numbers of Massachusetts are the codes 413 and 617, which form part of the 86 original area codes created for the Bell System and AT&T.
Being the largest city in the region and the capital of the state, the Boston network comprises several area codes including the prefix 857 that is an overlay for the 617 code, and the dialing number 781, which also surrounds Lynn, Waltham, and Malden cities.
3. Most Important Locations in the 978 Area Code
Lowell
Settled in 1653 and incorporated as a city in 1836, Lowell is one of the two seats of Middlesex County. This municipality is located at the junction of the Concord and Merrimack rivers, 25 miles northwest of Boston. With a population estimated at 110k inhabitants, Lowell is the 4th most populous city of the state and the second-most populous in the Boston metropolitan area.
Formerly known as the “spindle city”, Lowell was one of the major industrial municipalities of the nation by the mid-19th century. During this period, the textiles industry developed an important role in the financial sector of the state.
Lowell surrounds a total area of 14.53 square miles, being the 38th largest city in Massachusetts in terms of area. Besides, it possesses 5 non-unique ZIP codes: 01850, 01851, 01852, 01853, and 01850.
Lawrence
Located in Essex County, northeastern Massachusetts, this city lies along the Merrimack River, 26 miles north of Boston. Lawrence used to be the county seat of Essex just like Salem until Commonwealth abolished the county government in 1999.
Its incorporation dates from 1853. Surrounded by the municipalities of Methuen, Andover, and North Andover, whit over 79k inhabitants, Lawrence is the 13th most populous city in Massachusetts and the second-most populated in the 978 code service area.
Served by the 978 area code and covering a total area of 7.43 square miles Lawrence disposes of 4 non-unique ZIP codes including 01840, 01841, 01842, and 01843.
4. Other Important Districts and ZIP Codes of the 978 Area Code
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts encompasses 14 official counties; 4 of them are covered by the 978 area code:
- Middlesex County: Middlesex is the most populous county in the New England region and the 22nd most populated of the country, enclosing more than 1,612 million people. This county possesses two seats, the cities of Lowell and Cambridge, and disposes of 110 ZIP codes.
- Essex County: founded in 1643, Essex forms part of the Greater Boston area. It possesses an estimated population of 790k residents, being the third-most populous county of the state. Also it postal service is constituted by 56 ZIP codes.
- Franklin County: named for the dignitary Benjamin Franklin and founded in 1811, Franklin is the least-populous county of Massachusetts encompassing around 69k inhabitants. It covers a total area of 725 square miles and owns 30 ZIP codes.
Main Postal and Shipping Services
- Postal Center USA, Tyngsborough, MA, - +1 978-649-6266
- USPS, Methuen, MA, - +1 978-689-4737
- Pak Mail, Fitchburg, MA, - +1 978-353-1800
- US Post Office, Newburyport, MA , - +1 978-463-5489
5. FAQs
What is the most populated area code in Massachusetts?
The most employed area code in the state is the prefix 508.
What is the original area code added to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts disposes of two original prefixes, the 617 and 413 area code.