What Your Area Code Says About You
When the phone companies first unveiled area codes in the 1940s, they probably never anticipated those randomly-selected numbers would end up tattooed on people's arms, or shouted out in celebration after somebody shotguns a beer.
But somewhere along the way, the three digits that help folks from other towns get a hold of you on the phone (novel concept, right?) have become a HUGE source of pride, and as much a part of our identities as our choice of beer or Starbucks order. And since that great urban philosopher Christopher Bridges (a.k.a the 404's greatest rapper, Ludacris) sent shout-outs to all of America's best prefixes in his classic song “Area Codes,” we thought it'd be fun to explain exactly what those three numbers say about you.
404
Atlanta, GA
You own a Chipper Jones jersey T, but haven’t been to a game since 2012. Doesn't matter though, these three numbers give you the most street cred in all of the ATL. 678? Hahaha, no thanks.
770
Atlanta, GA
You spend more time on I-285 than you do with your family. Or, you just never bother going into Atlanta and can't wait until the Braves move to Cobb County.
718
New York City, NY
You actually DID live in Brooklyn before it was cool.
202
Washington, DC
You’re giving the number to whatever government office you work in, because nobody lives in DC long enough to actually have a 202 number.
901
Memphis, TN
You saw Hustle & Flow and immediately thought having this area code gave you street cred.
305
Miami, FL
You are involved in some kind of shady business that you can’t really explain, but it probably involves automatic weapons and/or illegally imported parrots.
312
Chicago, IL
You work in finance, live in River North, and go to places like Rockit because you wanna hook up with women who're into Patrick Kane, and that's where they hang out hoping he’ll show up.
313
Detroit, MI
At some point, you’ve burnt something down. Or at least watched something burn down -- as entertainment.
215
Philadelphia, PA
You’ve been in a physical altercation at a sporting event, and are impressed by the friendly people and clean streets of New York.
803
Columbia, SC
You definitely know at least four dudes on active NFL rosters. And if you don’t, you lie and say you do.
757
Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads, VA
You’re either an OCD professional buzzkill or an out-of-control head case. Both are because your parents were in the military.
410
Baltimore, MD
You will answer the phone with an accent that nobody outside the Mid-Atlantic region can accurately place. And you talk incessantly about how they shot The Wire right down the street from your apartment.
504
New Orleans, LA
You talk with a really cool accent and enjoy a glass of bourbon with breakfast.
972
Dallas, TX
Your leased Lexus and 4000sqft McMansion are the only joys in your life, as your “big night out” usually involves taking your eight kids to Chili’s.
713
Houston, TX
You consider boots formal attire. And are possibly a billionaire.
314
St. Louis, MO
You are overly friendly. Until someone brings up the Cubs/suggests you drink Miller Lite.
201
South Jersey
You actually don’t fake tan, own an IROC, or use excessive amounts of hair gel. That’s why you tell people you’re from Philly.
212
New York, NY
You mistakenly think people are impressed by your area code. Or even know what it is.
213
Downtown Los Angeles, CA
You regulate.
916
Sacramento, CA
You perpetually justify where you live in terms of its proximity to other stuff. “No, seriously, it’s only an hour and a half from San Fran AND Tahoe!”
415
San Francisco, CA
This number actually goes to a tablet, MacBook, or Google voice account.
704
Charlotte, NC
When the fast pace of big city life got to be too much, you got hitched and settled down in a place whose greatest claims to fame are Ric Flair and NASCAR. Then you found out it actually IS a big city, and not Atlanta Lite like everybody promised.
206
Seattle, WA
You’re one of the few people who can say they’re from Seattle and don’t actually mean Federal Way or Kirkland. And your house is worth three times more than it would be six miles away.
808
Hawaii
You’ve chosen to live on an island six hours from everything for a reason. Which means you’re at least a little bit insane and will end every sentence with an uncomfortably intense “brah.”
216
Cleveland, OH
You’re glad you got out of Cleveland.
702
Las Vegas, NV
You’re either a stripper or a professional gambler. Either way, not somebody to be trusted with any kind of financial information.
414
Milwaukee, WI
There’s a decent chance your cholesterol is higher than your area code.
317
Indianapolis, IN
You have Tom Petty/John Mellencamp lyrics written somewhere on your social media pages, and you not-so-secretly root for the Broncos.
214
Dallas, TX
You probably think you’re old money but somehow still live at a 1:1 debt-to-income ratio, no doubt because you grossly overpaid for an 1,800sqft house built in 1962.
281
Houston, TX
You get personally offended when people talk about cities with the worst traffic and Houston isn’t immediately mentioned.
334
Montgomery, AL
You have openly sobbed after a college football game. Like sad piccolo girl kinda crying.
205
Birmingham, AL
You are far more genteel and refined than those backwoods hilljacks in 256, 334, and 251, mostly because you’re from Birmingham. Or, you know, like two counties away from Birmingham.
318
Baton Rouge, LA
You find bib overalls to be the most versatile clothing item on the planet; perfect for weddings, LSU football games, and chasing tornadoes.
601
Central Mississippi
You own something with “the Flag” on it. Possibly an entire wardrobe.
203
Southwestern Connecticut
You either walk around with a sweater tied around your neck, or have made multiple appearances on The Maury Show.
804
Richmond, VA
You drink more PBR than a guy in skinny jeans on a fixed gear bike, on his way to band practice in the 'burg.
402
Omaha, NE
You smell like cow manure. Unless you’re Warren Buffet, because then everything you do smells like roses.
301
Maryland - DC Suburbs
Enjoy your Red Line ride home to Silver Spring. Your parents will be waiting up for you.
904
Jacksonville, FL
You really resent that you have to share a state with Miami, and like to remind people that Florida was part of the confederacy. But your city really doesn’t suck as much as people think.
407
Orlando, FL
You’ve eaten at every single chain restaurant in existence and spent your formative years at Mall at Millenia. You've been to Disney once.
850
Tallahassee, FL
You’re either an extremely hot coed at FSU, or you play a banjo in the swamp between shifts at Piggly Wiggly.
708
Chicago suburbs
You live waaaaaaay too far out in the ‘burbs to be taken seriously by anyone with a 312 number. Even if you are from Oak Park.
502
Louisville, KY
You think the rest of Kentucky is pretty much a bunch of hicks who talk funny. Which is, more or less, what people think of you when you say the name of your city.