Area Code 281 — Texas

Active General Purpose Code Overlay United States

Area code 281 is located in Texas and operates on Central Time . The largest city served is Houston .

Coverage Area

Area code 281 — Texas

Area Code Details

Area Code: 281
State / Province: Texas (TX)
Country: United States
Time Zone: Central Time Central Time
Local Time Now: —
Status: Active
Code Type: General Purpose Code
In Service Since: November 2, 1996
Assigned: August 19, 1994
Population Served: ~2,605,208 est.
Overlay Complex: 281/346/621/713/832

Cities Served

Largest City Houston

Houston Sugar Land Baytown Friendswood Channelview Deer Park Humble Langham Creek Houston Suburban Apollo Tomball EMS Bammel Barker Satsuma

History & Relationships

Split from

Overlay complex — shares geography with

346 Texas 621 Texas 713 Texas

Rate Centers & Exchanges

14 rate centers identified within area code 281

View exchanges →

Other Area Codes in Texas

Nearby Area Codes

Frequently Asked Questions About Area Code 281

What state is area code 281?

Area code 281 is located in Texas, United States.

Where is area code 281 from?

Area code 281 originates from Texas. It operates in the Central Time zone.

What time zone is area code 281?

Area code 281 falls within the Central Time zone (Central Time).

What cities are in area code 281?

Area code 281 serves cities including Houston, Sugar Land, Baytown, Friendswood, Channelview, Deer Park, Humble, Langham Creek, and more.

Is a call from area code 281 a scam?

Area code 281 is a legitimate general purpose code area code serving Texas. Like any area code, individual numbers using 281 can be used for scam calls — always verify the specific number if you receive an unexpected or suspicious call.