area codes · 11 min read
Pasadena Area Code 626: Cities, Scam Calls & Overlay Status
The 626 area code serves Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County. See its cities, dialing rules, scam call warnings, and CPUC overlay status.

The Pasadena area code is 626. It covers most of the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California: about 40 cities and communities including Pasadena, Alhambra, Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte, and West Covina. It runs on Pacific Time and entered service on June 14, 1997 as a split from 818.
The region is projected to exhaust its prefixes in the fourth quarter of 2027, and an overlay area code has been requested but not yet approved.
Jump to: Cities | City table | Prefixes and carriers | Received a call? | Dialing | Overlay | Business use | FAQs
Quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Region | Most of the San Gabriel Valley |
| Counties | Los Angeles County only |
| Largest city | Pasadena |
| In service since | June 14, 1997, split from area code 818 |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8 standard, UTC-7 daylight saving) |
| Dialing | 10 digits required since October 24, 2021 |
| Number format | (626) 555-0142 or +1 626 555 0142 |
| New 626 numbers | Still available from providers holding inventory |
| Overlay | Requested Feb 2025, pending, no code assigned |
| Projected exhaust | Q4 2027 |
| Bordering codes | 661, 562, 657/714, 442/760, 840/909, 213/323, 747/818 |
Why trust this page. Every fact here is sourced to the CPUC, the FCC, or the North American Numbering Plan. We checked the CPUC’s 626 docket on August 6, 2026. Two details about 626 are widely misunderstood, its county coverage and its overlay status, and both are clarified below.
Received a call from a 626 number?
A 626 caller ID usually means the displayed number belongs to the San Gabriel Valley numbering area in Los Angeles County. It does not prove the caller is physically there. Businesses can answer cloud-phone numbers from other locations, and scammers can spoof caller ID so a local-looking number appears on your screen.
Before returning an unfamiliar 626 call:
- Search the full phone number, not just the 626 area code.
- If the caller claims to represent a company, bank, or government agency, verify the organization independently.
- Do not give an inbound caller passwords, verification codes, Social Security numbers, or banking details.
- If the call might be legitimate, use a phone number from the organization’s official website, statement, or card rather than a number supplied by the caller.
- If the call appears fraudulent, block it and use the reporting options in the scam-call section.
The key distinction is simple: an area code identifies the numbering area assigned to the displayed number, not the caller’s current physical location or identity.
Where is the 626 area code?
Entirely within Los Angeles County, covering most of the San Gabriel Valley east of downtown Los Angeles plus nearby areas in the northeastern part of the county.

Commonly confused: 626 and Orange County. You will sometimes see 626 described as covering two counties, with Orange County cities such as Anaheim, Buena Park, and Costa Mesa in its city list. The CPUC’s filing is specific: 626 “is located entirely within Los Angeles County.” Those Orange County cities are served by 714/657, and Long Beach by 562. If a city list includes them, it is worth checking against the CPUC record.
Which area codes border 626?
Seven, on every side. 626 sits in the middle of one of the densest numbering regions in North America, which is part of why its prefixes are running short.
| Bordering code | Region | Direction from 626 |
|---|---|---|
| 818 / 747 | San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale | West and northwest |
| 661 | Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley | North |
| 213 / 323 | Central and downtown Los Angeles | West |
| 562 | Whittier, Downey, Long Beach | South and southwest |
| 714 / 657 | Northern Orange County | Southeast |
| 909 / 840 | Pomona Valley, Inland Empire | East |
| 442 / 760 | San Bernardino County desert | Far east |
What cities are in the 626 area code?
Roughly 40 cities and unincorporated communities, all in Los Angeles County.
Largest cities: Pasadena, El Monte, West Covina, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Baldwin Park, Arcadia, Monrovia, Rosemead
Other cities: Azusa, Bradbury, Covina, Duarte, Glendora, Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South El Monte, South Pasadena, Temple City, Walnut
Communities and CDPs: Altadena, Avocado Heights, Bassett, Charter Oak, Citrus, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Hacienda Heights, Mayflower Village, North El Monte, Rowland Heights, South San Gabriel, South San Jose Hills, Valinda, Vincent, West Puente Valley
Boundaries follow telephone rate centers, not city limits, and the CPUC describes 626 as covering parts of several of these cities.
Every city and community in 626, with population
Population figures below are US Census Bureau counts, the 2020 Census for every place and the Vintage 2024 Population Estimates for incorporated cities. Every place in 626 is in Los Angeles County, per the CPUC’s own filing.
The 39 places listed had a combined 2020 Census population of 1,416,016. Treat that as an upper bound rather than a headcount for the area code: numbering boundaries follow rate centers, so 626 covers only part of some of these places.
Incorporated cities
| City | County | 2020 Census | 2024 estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena | Los Angeles | 138,699 | 137,195 |
| West Covina | Los Angeles | 109,501 | 106,920 |
| El Monte | Los Angeles | 109,450 | 104,639 |
| Alhambra | Los Angeles | 82,868 | 80,279 |
| Baldwin Park | Los Angeles | 72,176 | 69,247 |
| Monterey Park | Los Angeles | 61,096 | 57,996 |
| Arcadia | Los Angeles | 56,681 | 54,472 |
| Glendora | Los Angeles | 52,558 | 50,101 |
| Covina | Los Angeles | 51,268 | 49,245 |
| Rosemead | Los Angeles | 51,185 | 49,582 |
| Azusa | Los Angeles | 50,000 | 48,383 |
| San Gabriel | Los Angeles | 39,568 | 37,926 |
| La Puente | Los Angeles | 38,062 | 36,670 |
| Monrovia | Los Angeles | 37,931 | 37,787 |
| Temple City | Los Angeles | 36,494 | 34,989 |
| Walnut | Los Angeles | 28,430 | 27,250 |
| South Pasadena | Los Angeles | 26,943 | 25,656 |
| Duarte | Los Angeles | 21,727 | 23,493 |
| South El Monte | Los Angeles | 19,567 | 19,121 |
| San Marino | Los Angeles | 12,513 | 12,105 |
| Sierra Madre | Los Angeles | 11,268 | 10,775 |
| Irwindale | Los Angeles | 1,472 | 1,459 |
| Bradbury | Los Angeles | 921 | 883 |
| Industry (City of Industry) | Los Angeles | 264 | 256 |
Unincorporated communities (census-designated places)
Los Angeles County governs these directly; they have no city council of their own. The Census Bureau publishes decennial counts for them but no annual estimates, so only the 2020 column applies.
| Community | County | 2020 Census |
|---|---|---|
| Hacienda Heights | Los Angeles | 54,191 |
| Rowland Heights | Los Angeles | 48,231 |
| Altadena | Los Angeles | 42,846 |
| West Puente Valley | Los Angeles | 22,959 |
| East San Gabriel | Los Angeles | 22,769 |
| Valinda | Los Angeles | 22,437 |
| South San Jose Hills | Los Angeles | 19,855 |
| Vincent | Los Angeles | 15,714 |
| Avocado Heights | Los Angeles | 13,317 |
| Citrus | Los Angeles | 10,243 |
| Charter Oak | Los Angeles | 9,739 |
| South San Gabriel | Los Angeles | 7,920 |
| East Pasadena | Los Angeles | 6,021 |
| Mayflower Village | Los Angeles | 5,402 |
| Bassett | Los Angeles | not a separate 2020 Census place |
Bassett is a recognized San Gabriel Valley community, but the Census Bureau did not publish it as its own place in 2020, so no official count exists for it. We would rather leave the cell empty than estimate one.
626 prefixes, rate centers, and carriers
A 626 phone number is 626-NXX-XXXX. The NXX is the central-office prefix, and how those prefixes are handed out is what the CPUC’s depletion date is really about.
A prefix is allocated one of two ways. It can go to a single code holder, which takes all 10,000 numbers under it. Or it can be pooled, split into ten blocks of 1,000 numbers that different carriers hold separately. Pooling exists so a carrier needing a few hundred numbers does not have to consume a whole prefix.
Here is what the assignment records showed for 626 when we retrieved them on August 8, 2026.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| NXX prefixes assigned in 626 | 734 |
| — of those, held whole by one code holder | 222 |
| — of those, pooled into thousand-blocks | 512 |
| Individual 1,000-number blocks listed | 5,063 |
| Distinct carriers (OCNs) appearing in 626 | 47 |
| Rate centers | 11 |
| LATA | 730 |
The two record types add up: 734 code-holder records plus 5,063 block records is the 5,797 rows in the source file.
What these counts are not
They are allocation figures, not usage figures. A prefix assigned to a carrier says nothing about how many of its numbers reach a customer, and we are not going to convert one into the other.
The CPUC has actually measured the difference for this exact area code. Its Report on the 626 Area Code, filed July 25, 2001, found that of roughly 7.7 million usable numbers in 626, about 5.5 million, or two-thirds, were not in use at the time. That is a 2001 finding and we are not presenting it as current, but it is the clearest evidence that assigned is not the same as occupied.
We also do not publish a “percent of capacity” figure for 626. Doing that needs a denominator of assignable prefixes, and we could not source one for 626 from CPUC, FCC, or NANPA records. The Q4 2027 depletion date on this page is the CPUC’s own projection, quoted from its 626 relief page, not a number we calculated.
626 rate centers
A rate center is the billing and boundary unit that numbering actually uses, and it does not track city limits. Alhambra, not Pasadena, holds the most 626 prefixes.
| Rate center | Prefixes assigned | Carriers present |
|---|---|---|
| Alhambra | 169 | 35 |
| Pasadena | 128 | 34 |
| Covina-Baldwin Park | 126 | 33 |
| El Monte | 88 | 32 |
| La Puente | 64 | 28 |
| Azusa-Glendora | 48 | 27 |
| Arcadia | 47 | 31 |
| Monrovia | 34 | 24 |
| Sierra Madre | 17 | 25 |
| San Gabriel Canyon | 12 | 21 |
| Los Angeles (DA 14) | 1 | 1 |
The prefix column totals 734. “Carriers present” counts every carrier appearing in that rate center as a code holder or a block holder, so those figures do not total 47: a carrier active in eight rate centers is counted in each. All 11 sit in LATA 730 (Los Angeles).
Which carriers hold 626 numbers?
Forty-seven carriers appear in 626: 38 hold at least one whole prefix, and 42 hold at least one thousand-block. The two columns below are separate things, so do not add them together.
| Carrier (OCN) | Type | Prefixes held whole | 1,000-blocks held |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile USA, Inc. | Wireless | 106 | 1,283 |
| Pacific Bell | ILEC | 116 | 209 |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC | Wireless | 82 | 520 |
| Onvoy, LLC - CA | CLEC | 43 | 618 |
| Frontier California Inc. | ILEC | 75 | 154 |
| Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless - CA | Wireless | 39 | 431 |
| Bandwidth.com CLEC, LLC - CA | CLEC | 14 | 403 |
| U.S. TelePacific Corp. dba TPX Communications | CLEC | 39 | 120 |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - CA | CLEC | 30 | 182 |
| MetroPCS Networks, LLC | CLEC | 16 | 271 |
| Fractel, LLC | CLEC | 35 | 56 |
| MCImetro Access Transmission Services LLC | CLEC | 21 | 78 |
| Teleport Communications America, LLC - CA | CLEC | 18 | 57 |
| Peerless Network of California, LLC - CA | CLEC | 8 | 86 |
| Paetec Itel, LLC | CLEC | 11 | 53 |
A further 32 carriers hold 81 whole prefixes and 542 blocks between them.
Sorted by who holds the whole prefix, the 734 break down as 301 to competitive local exchange carriers, 242 to wireless carriers, and 191 to incumbent local exchange carriers. Two things follow. No single carrier controls 626. And the incumbent is no longer the center of gravity: Pacific Bell still holds the most whole prefixes at 116, but T-Mobile holds far more numbers overall once pooled blocks are counted.
View the full 626 prefix allocation dataset — CSV, 5,797 rows, one per code-holder or thousand-block record, with rate center, OCN, carrier, carrier type, and LATA. This is the raw evidence behind every count above.
Can I still get a 626 number?
Potentially, yes. A provider that has assignable 626 inventory may still be able to issue a new number, and an existing 626 number may be portable to another provider when the port is eligible. The CPUC’s projected prefix exhaust does not mean every provider will have the same inventory until that date, so availability should be checked with the provider at the time you order.
Which nearby cities are not in 626?
| City | Actual area code |
|---|---|
| Burbank, Van Nuys, La Cañada Flintridge | 818 / 747 |
| Diamond Bar, Pomona, San Dimas, Claremont | 909 / 840 |
| Whittier, Downey, Santa Fe Springs | 562 |
| Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa | 714 / 657 |
| Montebello, Pico Rivera | 323 / 562 |
How does 626 compare with nearby Los Angeles area codes?
The codes around 626 serve different parts of greater Los Angeles and neighboring Southern California regions. A nearby code is not automatically interchangeable with 626.
| Area code | Main area | Relationship to 626 |
|---|---|---|
| 626 | San Gabriel Valley | The numbering area covered by this guide |
| 213 / 323 | Central and downtown Los Angeles | West of 626 |
| 562 | Whittier, Downey, Long Beach area | South and southwest of 626 |
| 818 / 747 | San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale | West and northwest of 626 |
| 909 / 840 | Pomona Valley and Inland Empire | East of 626 |
| 714 / 657 | Northern Orange County | Southeast of 626 |
This distinction matters when checking a caller’s claimed location or choosing a local business number: adjacent area codes can represent different communities even when the places are only a short drive apart.
Who uses the 626 area code?
A mix of households and small businesses, plus several institutions well known outside the region. Pasadena alone accounts for the California Institute of Technology and the Rose Bowl. Nearby are the Huntington Library in San Marino, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, and City of Hope in Duarte.
For a business, that mix is the point. A 626 number can be useful when customers expect a San Gabriel Valley contact number, for example a dentist, medical clinic, plumber, HVAC contractor, insurance agency, law firm, real estate office, or another organization serving the area.
Can businesses outside California use a 626 number?
A business does not necessarily have to answer a 626 number from a physical office in California. Cloud and VoIP phone systems can route calls to staff in other locations, subject to the provider’s number availability and service rules. That is useful for distributed teams, but it also means a 626 caller ID should not be treated as proof that a company or caller is physically in Pasadena or the San Gabriel Valley.
A familiar local number may affect how a customer perceives a call, but this page does not claim that choosing a 626 number improves Google rankings or guarantees customer trust.
What time zone is the 626 area code?
Pacific time: UTC-8 in standard time, UTC-7 during daylight saving. From the East Coast that is a three-hour lag. 9:00 a.m. in New York is 6:00 a.m. in Pasadena.
| When it is 9:00 a.m. in 626 | Local time |
|---|---|
| Vancouver, Seattle (Pacific) | 9:00 a.m. |
| Denver, Calgary, Edmonton (Mountain) | 10:00 a.m. |
| Chicago, Winnipeg (Central) | 11:00 a.m. |
| New York, Toronto (Eastern) | 12:00 p.m. |
| Halifax (Atlantic) | 1:00 p.m. |
Two exceptions worth knowing before you schedule a call: most of Arizona and all of Saskatchewan do not observe daylight saving, so their offset from 626 changes twice a year.
How do you write and dial a 626 number?
Ten digits, always, whether the call is local or not.
| Context | Format |
|---|---|
| Written, US convention | (626) 555-0142 |
| Dialed inside the US or Canada | 1 626 555 0142 |
| International standard (E.164) | +1 626 555 0142 |
| From outside North America | exit code + 1 + 626 + 7 digits |
Store numbers in E.164 (+16265550142) in any CRM or phone system. It is the format carriers, APIs, and caller ID databases expect, and it survives being exported between systems.
Calling 626 from Canada
Dial 1 626 then the seven-digit number, the same as a domestic US call. The United States and Canada share the North American Numbering Plan, so there is no international exit code between them.
Sharing a numbering plan is not the same as sharing a rate. Many Canadian mobile and landline plans bill US calls as long distance or under a separate add-on, so check your plan rather than assuming the call is included.
Practical dialing examples
Using the fictional example number (626) 555-0142:
| Calling from | Example |
|---|---|
| New York | 1 626 555 0142 |
| Toronto | 1 626 555 0142 |
| London | 00 1 626 555 0142 |
| Sydney | 0011 1 626 555 0142 |
A phone that accepts + notation | +1 626 555 0142 |
International exit prefixes vary by country and carrier, so +1 626 555 0142 is the safest format to save in contacts.
Why was the 626 area code created?
Because 818 ran out of prefixes. When 818 split from 213 in 1984 it covered both the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley. Growth through the early 1990s (second lines, fax machines, pagers, and early mobile phones) consumed its available prefixes faster than planners had projected.
The CPUC’s answer was a geographic split. The San Gabriel Valley half was cut loose as 626 on June 14, 1997, and every phone number in it changed. That cost is exactly why regulators now prefer overlays: an overlay adds capacity without making anyone renumber. The relief plan currently pending for 626 proposes an overlay, not a second split.
Is the 626 area code getting a new area code?
Not yet. As of August 6, 2026, no overlay has been approved and no new area code number has been assigned.

| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 14, 1997 | 626 enters service, split from 818 |
| Oct 24, 2021 | 10-digit dialing becomes mandatory |
| Feb 20, 2025 | NANPA files Application A.25-02-004 for an all-services overlay |
| Feb 28, 2026 | Date the industry asked for a decision, now passed |
| Q4 2027 | Projected prefix exhaust |
| Aug 2026 | CPUC decision: still pending |
Commonly confused: 626 and area code 840. Area code 840 is sometimes listed as a 626 overlay. It is actually the overlay for 909, the Inland Empire, which borders 626 to the east. The mix-up is an easy one, because numbering records list “840/909” as one of 626’s neighboring pairs. For 626 itself, the CPUC lists the overlay application as pending and the new code as not yet assigned.
We will update this page when the CPUC publishes its decision.
Do you need to dial 10 digits in 626?
Yes, since October 24, 2021, and this is unrelated to the overlay. In July 2020 the FCC designated 988 as the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number. Area codes already using 988 as a working local prefix had to end seven-digit dialing so 988 could route unambiguously.
Nine California codes were affected: 209, 530, 562, 626, 650, 707, 925, 949, and 951. The 988 shortcut went live July 16, 2022, nine months later, and the two dates are often conflated.
Equipment still holding seven-digit strings in 626 stopped working in 2021. Alarm panels, fax machines, and PBX forwarding rules are the usual casualties.
Are calls from 626 numbers scams?
The area code alone tells you nothing. 626 is legitimate, but like every area code, its numbers get spoofed. Caller ID spoofing lets a caller display any number they choose, and showing one that matches the recipient’s local prefix is called neighbor spoofing, because familiar numbers get answered more often. A genuine Pasadena call and a spoofed one look identical.

Two patterns recur often enough to name. First, Social Security impersonation: an automated call claims your SSN has been suspended or an arrest warrant is pending. The SSA is unambiguous that it will never suspend your Social Security number, demand immediate payment, threaten arrest, or require payment by gift card.
Second, a wrong-number text (“u at home?”) that apologizes, makes conversation, then moves you to WhatsApp for an investment scam.
Why we describe scam types rather than percentages. You will find precise-looking figures for 626 elsewhere, such as “14.69% of complaints are home improvement calls.” Those come from voluntary crowd-reporting apps, where the sample size and collection method are not published. We report the patterns regulators document, and leave percentages to sources that can show their working.
What to do about a suspicious 626 call:
- Never confirm your name, SSN, or bank details to an inbound caller.
- Hang up and call back on a number you sourced yourself, never the one the caller gives you.
- Report Social Security impersonation to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov; other fraud to reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM). Blocking helps little on its own, since spoofers rotate numbers constantly.
If your own 626 business number shows as “Spam Likely,” that is a call authentication and reputation problem, not an area code problem, and it is covered in our VoIP security and encryption guide.
What an overlay would mean for you
An overlay adds a second area code across the same geography. It does not change any existing number.
- Existing 626 numbers keep working. No renumbering, no porting, no cost. That is why regulators now prefer overlays to splits.
- New numbers may be issued in the new code, so two businesses on the same street can end up with different area codes.
- Dialing rules do not change, because 626 already requires 10 digits.
- “626” becomes less specific as a location cue once a second code serves the same geography.
Example: imagine Business A opens in the 626 region before an overlay and receives a 626 number. After an overlay launches, Business B can open on the same street and receive the new code. Neither business moved; only the available numbering inventory changed. Existing 626 customers keep their numbers.
Your deadline is prefix exhaust in Q4 2027, not the CPUC decision. If you manage phone systems, confirm your PBX, CRM, and dialer validation rules will accept the new code. Overlays are landing across the country at a steady pace. Our roundup of the newest US area codes tracks which ones went live this year.
Can I keep my 626 number if I move or change providers?
Often, but not automatically. The FCC’s local number portability rules generally let customers keep an existing telephone number when switching providers within the same geographic area, provided the number is eligible and the new provider supports the port. Moving to a different geographic area can change what is possible, so confirm eligibility before cancelling the old service.
How long does porting a 626 number take?
There is no single safe completion time to promise for every port. Timing depends on the type of number, the old and new providers, whether the account information matches, and whether the request needs manual review. Keep the existing service active until the receiving provider confirms that the port is complete.
How to get a 626 number
This section is DialPhone’s product view.
A new 626 number depends on current provider inventory. If you already control a 626 number, porting may let you keep it when changing providers, subject to eligibility.
Before choosing a provider:
- Check whether 626 inventory is currently available.
- Ask whether there is a fee to port an existing number in or out.
- Confirm SMS/MMS support if texting matters to your workflow.
- Verify 911/E911 support and configuration requirements.
- Ask what happens if 626 inventory becomes unavailable while your order is being processed.
DialPhone provides local business numbers with AI receptionist, call routing, and SMS on a single plan. You can check current 626 availability when you start a free trial or compare plans.
If buying is what you came for rather than reading, our 626 area code number page covers availability, pricing, and porting in one place. This guide stays on the reference side: who 626 covers, how it is numbered, and what the CPUC has decided.
If you are comparing providers more broadly, our small business VoIP guide explains the factors to evaluate beyond the area code itself.
626 area code FAQ
Where is the 626 area code located?
In Los Angeles County, California, covering most of the San Gabriel Valley east of downtown Los Angeles. Pasadena is its largest city.
Does the 626 area code cover Orange County?
No. 626 is entirely within Los Angeles County. Anaheim, Buena Park, and Costa Mesa are sometimes listed under 626, but they are served by 714 and 657.
Is the 626 area code changing?
Not yet. Overlay application A.25-02-004 has been pending at the CPUC since February 2025, and prefixes are projected to run out in Q4 2027.
Has 626 been overlaid by area code 840?
No. 840 is an overlay of area code 909, which borders 626 to the east. The two are frequently confused.
Can you still get a new 626 phone number?
Yes. Prefixes are projected to last into late 2027, and VoIP providers holding 626 inventory can still assign new numbers. You can also port an existing 626 number to a new provider.
How do I call a 626 number from Canada?
Dial 1, then 626, then the seven-digit number, the same as a domestic US call, because Canada and the United States share the North American Numbering Plan.
Your carrier may still bill it as long distance.
Why do I have to dial 10 digits for a local 626 call?
Because 988 became the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number. 626 used 988 as a working local prefix, so seven-digit dialing ended on October 24, 2021.
Is a call from a 626 number a scam?
Not by default. 626 is a legitimate area code, but spoofing makes caller ID unreliable.
Never confirm personal details to an inbound caller. Hang up and call back on a number you sourced yourself.
Can a business outside California use a 626 number?
Potentially, yes. Cloud and VoIP systems can route a local number to staff elsewhere, subject to provider inventory and service rules.
A 626 caller ID therefore does not prove that the caller is physically in California.
Can I keep my 626 number if I move or switch providers?
Often, especially when switching providers within the same geographic area, but portability is subject to eligibility and provider support. Confirm the port before cancelling your existing service.
Methodology
Location, county, docket status, and the Q4 2027 depletion projection come from the CPUC’s 626 relief page, checked August 6, 2026. In-service date, community list, and bordering codes come from North American Numbering Plan records; dialing dates from the FCC; scam guidance from the SSA and its Office of the Inspector General.
CPUC Report 8881 is cited here for one thing only: its finding that assigned numbers and numbers in use are different quantities. It is dated July 25, 2001 and its figures describe 626 as it was then. It is not the source of the 2027 projection.
City and community populations are US Census Bureau figures: the 2020 Census (P.L. 94-171 redistricting file, table P1) for every place, and the Vintage 2024 Population Estimates for incorporated cities. Prefix, rate center, and carrier counts come from the NANPA/LERG central-office code assignment records for 626, retrieved August 8, 2026, and the full extract is published as a CSV so the counts can be checked. Allocations change, so the retrieval date is stated rather than implied.
We reviewed the pages currently ranking for “626 area code” in August 2026 to see where published information diverges. Two points, county coverage and the 840 overlay, are commonly stated differently elsewhere. Where secondary sources differ from CPUC or NANP records, we follow the primary record and say so.
We describe scam patterns rather than crowd-reported percentages, which have no published methodology. This page is re-checked quarterly and on any decision in docket A.25-02-004.
Sources
- CPUC: 626 area code relief
- CPUC: Report on the 626 Area Code (Report 8881), July 25, 2001 utilization study
- CPUC: Application A.25-02-004, NANPA overlay request
- FCC: 10-digit dialing fact sheet
- FCC: Local number portability
- SSA: Protect yourself from Social Security scams
- SSA OIG: Identify the scam
- FTC: Report fraud
- US Census Bureau: 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 redistricting data, California
- US Census Bureau: Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates
- NANPA/LERG central-office code assignments for 626
- DialPhone: full 626 prefix allocation dataset (CSV, 5,797 rows)
Related resources:
About the author
Growth Operations Lead at DialPhone
Darshan leads Growth Operations at DialPhone, where he owns three interconnected programs: the comparison content operation, the open VoIP Pricing Dataset, and the test-call methodology used to verify every pricing claim published on the site.
His research process starts with hands-on product trials and live vendor quotes, not marketing pages. Pricing figures are cross-checked against actual invoices and re-verified on a rolling quarterly cycle, with the underlying dataset kept public for independent re-verification. That dataset now covers 40+ VoIP and virtual-number providers across the US and Canada market.
Darshan also leads DialPhone's AI receptionist evaluation program, running structured test-call scenarios across English, Spanish, and French to assess transcription accuracy, intent routing, and escalation behavior. Methodology notes and raw scoring are archived in the research section.
For factual corrections or dataset discrepancies, Darshan can be reached at the DialPhone editorial address. Verified corrections are published as errata with a changelog date, no silent edits.