Area Code 978: Massachusetts North Shore

978 · Lowell

What is the area code for Lowell?

The area code for Lowell, Massachusetts is 978, with overlay code 351 sharing the same geographic footprint. The 978 area code is a North American Numbering Plan geographic code assigned in 1997, covering the Northeastern Massachusetts region. It serves approximately 800,000 residents on the Eastern Time (ET) (UTC-5 / UTC-4 DST).

The 978 area code has 775 assigned central-office prefixes (NXX codes, the three digits after the area code) across 58 rate centers, with numbers allocated to roughly 41 carriers.

At 775 of the ~792 usable central-office prefixes, the 978 area code has about 98% of its numbering capacity assigned, and that near-exhaustion is part of why overlay code 351 was added to the region. See how 978 compares in our NXX prefix allocation analysis across 338 US area codes. (Prefix data: localcallingguide.com / NANPA, 2026.)

Where is area code 978? Location and map area

Area code 978 is located in Massachusetts, the United States. Its coverage area centers on Lowell and spans the Northeastern Massachusetts region. If you received a call from a 978 number, the caller's number was assigned in this area, though with number porting and virtual numbers, the person may be calling from anywhere.

The 978 location sits in Eastern Time (ET), so local business hours run roughly 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET. Neighboring Massachusetts area codes include 339, 351, 413.

Looking for a local 978 number? Get a 978 area code business number →

All Lowell area codes

Lowell is served by 2 area codes across the metro area. 978 is the 1997 addition; the others were added as overlays or for surrounding suburbs.

• 351: Lowell: assigned 2001
• 978 (current page): Overlay on the same metro, assigned 1997

Cities served by the 978 area code

The 978 area code covers 6 major cities and towns across the Northeastern Massachusetts region (MA). Here is where 978 phone numbers reach:

Lowell, MA

Lowell is the largest city in the 978 area code and the anchor of the Northeastern Massachusetts region, most 978 numbers are assigned here. To get a phone number in Lowell, choose a 978 number.

Lawrence, MA

Lawrence is served by the 978 area code as part of the Northeastern Massachusetts region in Massachusetts (Eastern Time (ET)). A 978 number gives your business a local Lawrence presence.

Haverhill, MA

Haverhill is served by the 978 area code as part of the Northeastern Massachusetts region in Massachusetts (Eastern Time (ET)). A 978 number gives your business a local Haverhill presence.

Andover, MA

Andover is served by the 978 area code as part of the Northeastern Massachusetts region in Massachusetts (Eastern Time (ET)). A 978 number gives your business a local Andover presence.

Salem, MA

Salem is served by the 978 area code as part of the Northeastern Massachusetts region in Massachusetts (Eastern Time (ET)). A 978 number gives your business a local Salem presence.

Gloucester, MA

Gloucester is served by the 978 area code as part of the Northeastern Massachusetts region in Massachusetts (Eastern Time (ET)). A 978 number gives your business a local Gloucester presence.

Whether you need a phone number in Lowell, Lawrence, or anywhere else in the Northeastern Massachusetts region, a 978 number puts a local caller ID on every call. A caller ID that matches the recipient's region looks familiar and gets answered more often than a toll-free or out-of-area number.

978 area code time zone and business hours

The 978 area code is in the Eastern Time (ET) zone (UTC-5 / UTC-4 DST). Standard business hours in 978 run 9 AM to 5 PM ET.

If you're calling into 978 from a different time zone, factor in the offset. For example, an Eastern Time business calling 978 at 9 AM ET reaches Lowell at local time: likely outside standard business hours.

History of the 978 area code

The 978 area code was introduced in 1997 when the North American Numbering Plan was first deployed. As Lowell grew and number demand increased, overlay code 351 was added to serve the same geographic region, a common solution that avoids forcing existing subscribers to change their numbers.

• 1997 978 entered service
• 2001 351 added to serve the same region

Is the 978 area code safe? Spam and scam calls

978 is a legitimate geographic area code for Lowell: it is not a scam code or a premium-rate prefix, and a call from a 978 number is most likely a genuine local caller. The risk is not the area code itself but a tactic called neighbor spoofing: scammers fake their caller ID so an unwanted call appears to come from your own area code, because people answer familiar numbers more readily.

If you get an unexpected 978 call, a few signals point to a likely scam, a pre-recorded message, urgent pressure to act now, a demand for payment by gift card or wire transfer, or anyone asking for passwords, Social Security, or account numbers. Let suspicious calls go to voicemail, never share personal information, and report fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

The FCC consumer guide on spoofing explains your rights under the Truth in Caller ID Act. A real Lowell business will leave a clear voicemail and will not pressure you.

978 area code overlay codes

The Northeastern Massachusetts region is served by multiple overlay area codes:

Area Code	Coverage
978	Primary area code for Northeastern Massachusetts, assigned 1997
351	Overlay, same geography (assigned 2001)

All overlay codes serve the same Lowell region. New subscribers may be assigned any available code; existing numbers retain their original prefix.

All area codes in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 9 active geographic area codes. The 978 area code is part of the same numbering plan as the codes listed below, calls between them are typically local within the state, depending on the carrier.

Nearby area codes

Related area codes in Massachusetts and the Eastern Time (ET) region:

• 339 area code: Quincy, Massachusetts
• 351 area code: Lowell, Massachusetts
• 413 area code: Springfield, Massachusetts
• 508 area code: Worcester, Massachusetts
• 617 area code: Boston, Massachusetts
• 774 area code: Worcester, Massachusetts

All Massachusetts area codes → · Browse all US area codes →

More area codes: ← 975 Kansas City · 979 Bryan →

Business phone numbers in the 978 area code

DialPhone offers local 978 numbers for business, with plans from $24 per user per month and a free 14-day trial. See 978 area code numbers for business or the full plan comparison.

How this page is verified

DialPhone re-verifies every area code page every 90 days. Area code geography, timezone, and overlay data come from the official North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) database. Pricing reflects the published DialPhone plan tiers, see the pricing page for current details. Number availability varies; check the DialPhone signup flow for live inventory in the 978 region.

About the 978 Area Code

978 serves northeastern Massachusetts, covering the Merrimack Valley and North Shore. It was split from 508 in 1997 and today shares its geography with the 351 overlay.

978 covers Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Andover, Salem, and Gloucester. Boston proper uses 617 and 857, so a 978 number signals a distinct northeastern Massachusetts presence rather than a city-center one.

Why Northeastern Massachusetts Businesses Use 978

The Merrimack Valley and North Shore host technology, manufacturing, and healthcare employers that sit outside Boston's core. A local 978 number tells clients you serve that region directly, important in a market where buyers distinguish sharply between Boston-based vendors and those rooted in the surrounding communities.

The 351/978 overlay complex, what the NANPA record shows

In the official NANPA numbering report, 978 is listed as part of the 351/978 overlay complex, two area codes serving one northeastern-Massachusetts footprint. The same record lists 978's parent code as 508: this region carried 508 numbers until the 1997 split created 978, and 351 was later overlaid so the region would not have to split again. See how overlay area codes work.

NANPA's dialing-plan note for the complex states that 1+10-digit dialing is permissible at each service provider's discretion. In practice, dial all ten digits for any local call in 978 or 351 territory, two codes share every town, so seven digits are ambiguous.

Numbering neighbors: 351 shares the exact same footprint, while 508, the parent code, continues to serve central and southeastern Massachusetts. (Source: NANPA NPA report, July 2026.)