Area code for northern Minnesota
A map of Minnesota area codes
Area code 218 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota . It is assigned to the largest of Minnesota's original two numbering plan areas (NPAs), although its geographical boundaries have been modified since inception. It comprises roughly the northern half of the state, and includes the cities of Duluth , Hibbing , Brainerd , Bemidji , Fergus Falls , and Moorhead .
History
Numbering plan area 218 before 1954
In the initial 1947 map of the North American Numbering Plan, area code 218 was conceived as a lower-case r -shaped area in the northern and western two-thirds of Minnesota. The southeastern portion, including the Twin Cities , was located in area code 612 .
As the implementation of the new telephone numbering plan proceeded, the Minnesota area code boundaries were redrawn in 1954 to avoid cutting across major toll traffic routes out of the Twin Cities.
This resulted in three area codes, with 218 covering the northern band of the state, 612 covering the central band, and the new area code 507 forming a southern band. The southern portion of the old 218 (Worthington , Marshall , and Pipestone ), was merged with the southern portion of 612 to form the new 507, which ran along the entire length of the Iowa border. 612 was rotated to stretch from the Wisconsin border to the South Dakota border, absorbing a slice of the old 218 (St. Cloud , Alexandria , Appleton ). 218 was pushed into east-central Minnesota, absorbing the old 612's eastern portion and taking on roughly its present shape.
A small change in the 1990s brought the Northwest Angle into the 218 area code; that region had previously been part of Bell Canada 's Clearwater Bay exchange in area code 807 .
Due to northern Minnesota's low population density, the region was unaffected when central Minnesota went from one area code to five from 1996 to 2000. Area code 320 , created out of the former western portion of 612 in 1996, runs the length of the southern border with 218. The 612 area code has since been reduced in size so much that it now just includes the city of Minneapolis and a few nearby suburbs.
The western portion of 218, generally everything from Brainerd westward, shares a LATA with the eastern half of North Dakota , including Fargo and Grand Forks .
Exhaust Projections by the NANP Administrator estimate that northern Minnesota will not need another area code until about 2028.[ 1]
Prior to October 2021, area code 218 had telephone numbers assigned for the central office code 988. In 2020, 988 was designated nationwide as a dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline , which created a conflict for exchanges that permit seven-digit dialing . This area code was therefore scheduled to transition to ten-digit dialing by October 24, 2021.[ 2]
Service area and central office prefixes
Ada : 415, 474, 784
Aitkin : 429, 670, 887, 927, 928
Akeley : — see Nevis
Alborn : 345, 453, 501, 642
Alvarado : 960
Angora : 361, 376, 506
Argyle : 438
Ashby : 747
Askov : 658
Audubon : 439, 532
Aurora : 229, 306, 318, 516, 638, 648, 865, 873, 876
Babbitt : 413, 827, 872
Backus : 682, 947
Badger : 242, 450, 452, 669
Bagley : 467, 657, 694, 785
Barnesville : 354, 493, 937
Barnum : 380, 382, 389, 496, 503, 610
Battle Lake : 282, 405, 495, 535, 862, 864
Baudette : 395, 434, 634, 635
Baxter : see Brainerd
Bejou : 930, 936
Beltrami : 926
Bemidji : 209, 210, 214, 308, 333, 335, 364, 368, 407, 441, 444, 497, 508, 556, 558, 586, 604, 751, 755, 759, 760, 766, 888
Bena : 202, 634
Bertha : 924
Big Falls : 202, 634, 922
Bigfork : 743
Biwabik : 516, 865, 873
Blackduck : 202, 239, 553
Borup : 494, 582
Bovey : 215, 244, 245, 247, 256, 259, 360, 588, 603, 667, 812, 910
Boy River : 889
Brainerd : 203, 232, 251, 270, 297, 316, 317, 330, 454, 513, 515, 537, 818, 820, 821, 822, 824, 825, 828, 829, 831, 833, 838, 839, 851, 855, 892
Brandon : 267
Breckenridge : 446, 517, 557, 641, 643, 651, 955
Brimson : 217, 799, 848
Britt : 361, 506
Brookston : 453
Bygland : 893
Callaway : 204, 375, 572, 983
Campbell : 479
Carlos : 338
Carlton : 384, 660, 673, 882
Cass Lake : 339, 518, 975, 987
Chisholm : 254, 258, 274, 404, 447, 489, 676, 929, 942
Clarissa : 756
Clearbrook : 776
Climax : 857
Cloquet : 403, 451, 499, 609, 655, 878, 879, 900
Cohasset : see Grand Rapids
Coleraine : 244, 245, 256, 259, 360, 603, 667, 812, 910
Cook : 361, 376, 506, 645, 666
Cotton : 482
Crane Lake : 993
Cromwell : 644
Crookston : 275, 277, 280, 281, 289, 470, 521, 551, 650
Crosby : 545, 546, 678, 765, 772, 866, 928
Dalton : 589
Deer Creek : 462, 548
Deer River : 246
Deerwood : 257, 381, 394, 433, 527, 534, 622, 678, 764, 928
Dent : 495, 758
Detroit Lakes : 234, 314, 325, 396, 530, 570, 841, 844, 846, 847, 849, 850, 997
Dilworth : — see Moorhead
Duluth : 206, 213, 216, 221, 241, 249, 260, 269, 279, 302, 310, 336, 337, 340, 341, 343, 348, 349, 355, 390, 391, 393, 409, 428, 461, 464, 481, 491, 514, 520, 524, 525, 529, 576, 578, 580, 590, 591, 600, 606, 607, 608, 617, 619, 623, 624, 625, 626, 628, 672, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 733, 740, 786, 788, 800, 810, 860, 896, 940
Eagle Bend : 738
East Drayton : 455
East Grand Forks : 207, 230, 309, 399, 693, 773, 779, 791, 793
Effie : 743
Elbow Lake : 685
Ely : 235, 365, 504, 664, 881
Embarrass : 307, 718, 984
Emily : 692, 763
Erhard : 842
Erskine : 687
Euclid : 289, 965
Evansville : 948
Eveleth : 744
Federal Dam : 654, 665, 889
Fergus Falls : 205, 321, 332, 468, 531, 560, 602, 671, 731, 736, 737, 739, 770, 998
Fertile : 574, 637, 945
Fifty Lakes : 543, 692
Finland : 323, 353
Fisher : 289, 891, 893
Floodwood : 476, 661
Fosston : 431, 435, 490, 563, 687
Frazee : 334
Garrison : 257, 678, 764
Gary : 261, 356, 930, 935, 936
Gateway : 426
Gatzke : 294, 459
Gilbert : 318, 516, 648, 865, 873
Glyndon : 498
Gonvick : 487
Goodridge : 294, 378
Grand Marais : 264, 370, 387, 388, 412, 877
Grand Portage : — see Hovland
Grand Rapids : 212, 244, 245, 256, 259, 301, 313, 322, 326, 327, 360, 398, 542, 571, 603, 615, 667, 812, 910, 999
Greenbush : 528, 781, 782
Grygla : 294
Gully : 268
Hackensack : 675, 682, 836
Hallock : 379, 455, 526, 614, 843, 853, 988
Halma : 674, 754
Halstad : 494
Hawley : 418, 420, 483, 486, 937, 962
Hermantown : — see Duluth
Henning : 579, 583, 690
Hibbing : 208, 231, 262, 263, 293, 295, 312, 362, 421, 440, 778, 966, 969, 996
Hill City : 627, 697
Hines : 239, 553, 835
Holyoke : 496
Hovland : 475
Hoyt Lakes : 219, 225, 949
Humboldt : 379, 614
International Falls : 240, 283, 285, 286, 324, 373, 377, 417, 502, 540, 598, 599, 767
Iron : 258, 404, 929
Ironton : 257, 394, 433, 622, 765, 928
Isabella : 323, 432
Jacobson : 488, 752
Kabetogama : 374, 377, 502, 601, 875
Karlstad : 674, 754, 944
Keewatin : 702, 778
Kelliher : 647
Kennedy : 674, 774
Kent : 557
Kerrick : 496
Kettle River : 273, 484, 500
Kimberly : 272, 549
Kinney : 489, 676
Lake Bronson : 754
Lake George : 224
Lake Park : 238, 532, 937, 962
Lancaster : 762
Laporte : 224, 335
Lengby : 358, 533, 668
Leonard : 467, 785, 968
Littlefork : 250, 276, 278, 377, 868
Longville : 363, 682, 836, 889
Lutsen : 264, 412, 663, 877
Mahnomen : 261, 383, 567, 902, 935
Makinen : 318, 648
Marcell : 832
Max : 798
McGregor : 419, 448, 768
Meadowlands : 427, 646
Menahga : 472, 538, 564
Mentor : 200
Merrifield : 562, 656, 765, 967
Middle River : 222
Miltona : 267, 338, 943
Mizpah : — see Northome
Moorhead : 227, 228, 233, 236, 284, 287, 291, 299, 303, 304, 329, 331, 359, 422, 443, 477, 498, 505, 512, 585, 593, 620, 677, 789, 790, 880, 979, 989
Moose Lake : 351, 460, 485, 509, 565, 662
Motley : 352, 397, 575
Mountain Iron : 258, 404, 489, 676, 929
Nashua : 479, 630
Nashwauk : 215, 247, 577, 588, 778, 885
Nevis : 652, 933
New York Mills : 385
Newfolden : 222, 449, 874
Nielsville : 456, 946
Nimrod : 472
Nisswa : 562, 656, 961, 963, 967
Northome : 897
Noyes : 379, 614
Ogema : 204, 572, 983
Oklee : 465, 687, 698, 796
Orr : 636, 757, 787
Osage : 538, 573, 581
Oslo : 691, 695, 965
Ottertail : 367, 548, 583
Outing : 792
Palisade : 426, 549, 621, 845
Park Rapids : 237, 252, 266, 344, 366, 552, 616, 699, 732
Parkers Prairie : 338
Pelican Rapids : 532, 592, 842, 863
Pengilly : 215, 247, 588, 778, 910
Pennington : 335
Pequot Lakes : 272, 543, 559, 562, 568, 569, 692
Perham : 298, 346, 347, 457
Perley : 456, 861
Pillager : 746
Pine River : 543, 561, 587
Plummer : 465, 698
Ponsford : 538
Proctor : —see Duluth
Puposky : 243, 586, 679, 835
Randall : 575
Red Lake Falls : 253, 465, 637, 698
Remer : 566, 889
Roosevelt : 442
Roseau : 242, 424, 450, 452, 463, 469, 528, 669
Rothsay : 842, 867
Sabin : 505, 585, 677
Saginaw : 453, 729
St. Hilaire : 416, 633, 653, 683, 684, 883, 964
St. Vincent : 379, 614, 823
Salol : 242, 424, 450, 452, 463, 469, 669
Schroeder : 663
Sebeka : 472, 539, 544, 837
Shelly : 456, 886
Shevlin : 467, 657, 785
Side Lake : 292, 376, 777, 973
Silver Bay : 220, 226, 315, 353, 594
Solway : 657, 854
Spring Lake : 798
Squaw Lake : 659
Staples : 296, 397, 414, 541, 575, 884, 894, 895, 898
Stephen : 437, 466, 478, 480, 991
Strandquist : 265, 436, 597, 781, 874
Strathcona : 528, 781
Sturgeon Lake : 372, 423, 658
Swan River : 488
Tamarack : 426
Tenstrike : 239, 553, 586, 835
Thief River Falls : 416, 633, 653, 681, 683, 684, 686, 688, 689, 883
Thomson : —see Carlton
Tintah : 369, 479, 630
Tofte : 406, 519
Tower : 300, 696, 753
Trail : 563
Twin Valley : 350, 584
Two Harbors : 510, 595, 830, 834
Ulen : 494, 567, 596, 962
Underwood : 495, 826
Vergas : 342
Verndale : 445
Viking : 416, 523, 633, 653, 683, 684, 874, 883
Vining : 267, 338, 548, 583, 769
Virginia : 248, 288, 290, 305, 404, 410, 471, 550, 735, 741, 742, 744, 748, 749, 750, 780, 994
Wadena : 271, 319, 371, 402, 408, 430, 629, 631, 632, 639, 640, 981
Walker : 224, 507, 536, 547, 836
Wannaska : 424, 425, 463, 469
Warba : 488, 492, 649
Warren : 201, 400, 437, 712, 745, 965
Warroad : 223, 386, 986
Waskish : 554
Waubun : 204, 261, 401, 473, 567, 572, 734, 935, 936, 983
Wawina : 488
Wendell : 458, 630
Williams : 635, 783
Willow River : 658
Winger : 563, 574, 637, 687, 930, 938
Wirt : 798
Wolverton : 505, 557, 585, 995
Wrenshall : see Carlton
Wright : 357, 899
Premium calls (unassigned): 211, 218, 255, 311, 320, 392, 411, 511, 522, 555, 570, 588, 605, 611, 612, 613, 618, 680, 700, 701, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 719, 761, 771, 775, 794, 795, 797, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 811, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 819, 840, 852, 856, 858, 859, 869, 870, 871, 890, 901, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 923, 925, 931, 932, 934, 939, 941, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 956, 957, 958, 959, 970, 971, 972, 974, 976, 977, 978, 980, 982, 985, 990, 992
See also
References
External links
Minnesota area codes: 218 , 320 , 507/924 , 612 , 651 , 763 , 952
North : 204/431/584 , 807
West : 701
218
East : 715/534 , Lake Superior
South : 320
Manitoba area codes: 204/431/584
Ontario area codes: 416/437/647/942 , 519/226/548/382 , 613/343/753 , 705/249/683 , 807 , 905/289/365/742
Wisconsin area codes: 262 , 414 , 608/353 , 715/534 , 920/274
North Dakota area codes: 701
47°18′N 93°56′W / 47.300°N 93.933°W / 47.300; -93.933