In North America, area codes are a crucial part of our phone system. They help direct calls to the right place, ensuring your conversation reaches its intended recipient. Without them, our telephone network would be utter chaos!
This article focuses on area code 225, which is located in Louisiana. If you’re dialing a number in Baton Rouge or the surrounding areas, you’ll need to use 225 as the area code. This includes cities like Baker, Central, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Plaquemine, Port Allen, and Zachary.
We’ll delve into the specific geographic area covered by the 225 phone area code, explore the demographics of the region, take a look at its history, and even discuss how prefixes are assigned within the 225 area.
Where is area code 225?
Area code 225 serves a good portion of southeastern Louisiana. Here’s a quick look at the places you’ll find inside its boundaries:
Major cities served
The 225 area code includes:
- Baton Rouge
- Prairieville
- Zachary
Baton Rouge, the state capital, is the second-largest city in Louisiana and a hub for industry, education, and culture. Prairieville, a suburb of Baton Rouge, has seen rapid growth in recent years. Zachary, also near Baton Rouge, is known for its historic charm and community feel.
Parishes (counties) served
Area code 225 covers all or part of these 14 parishes:
- Ascension
- Assumption
- East Baton Rouge
- East Feliciana
- Iberville
- Livingston
- Pointe Coupee
- St. Helena
- St. James
- St. Mary
- Tangipahoa
- Washington
- West Baton Rouge
- West Feliciana
This area represents a significant portion of southeastern Louisiana, blending urban and rural communities along the Mississippi River and its surrounding areas.
Total cities served
In all, area code 225 serves 48 cities throughout the region.
The history of the 225 area code
The 225 area code wasn’t always around. Before 1998, the region it covers was part of the 504 area code, which originally served all of Louisiana. As the population grew, so did the demand for phone numbers. This increasing demand made it necessary to split the 504 area code, leading to the creation of the 225 area code.
In 1998, the 225 area code was officially established, covering the Baton Rouge metropolitan area and surrounding parishes. The split allowed for a greater allocation of phone numbers to meet the needs of the growing population and expanding telecommunications services in the region.
Currently, the 225 area code does not have an overlay. An overlay is when a new area code is introduced to the same geographic area as an existing one, requiring residents to dial the area code for all calls, even local ones. For now, if you’re calling a 225 number from within the 225 area code, you can still dial the seven-digit phone number.
Who lives in the 225 area code?
The 225 area code serves a large population in Louisiana. Here’s a little information about the people who call the 225 area code home.
Population size
As of the most recent estimates, the 225 area code covers a population of around 1,146,151 people.
Demographic breakdown
Here’s a snapshot of the demographics in the 225 area code, according to the most recent U.S. Census data:
- Race and ethnicity
- White: details needed from census data
- Black: details needed from census data
- Hispanic: details needed from census data
- Asian: details needed from census data
- Hawaiian: details needed from census data
- Gender
- Male: details needed from census data
- Female: details needed from census data
- Age
- Median age: 40.43 years
Household information
Here are some statistics about households in the 225 area code:
- Number of housing units: 495,511
- Number of households: 440,021
- Average household size: 2.51 people
- Average family size: 3.20 people
As you can see, the 225 area code is home to a diverse group of people and families.
Prefix Assignment and Usage
When you look at a phone number, you’ll see the area code, and then three more digits. Those three digits are called the prefix, and they’re an important part of the phone number.
Every area code is assigned a certain number of prefixes, and each prefix can be used for a certain number of phone numbers. So, what does the prefix assignment and usage look like in the 225 area code?
Total Prefixes
The 225 area code has 800 possible prefixes.
Active Prefixes
Of those 800 prefixes, 466 are currently active. This means that 58.3% of the prefixes in the 225 area code have been assigned and are in use.
Usage Type
The prefixes in the 225 area code are used for different types of phone lines:
- Landline prefixes: 291 (62.4%)
- Wireless prefixes: 174 (37.3%)
- Unknown prefixes: 1 (0.21%)
Inactive Prefixes
There are 334 inactive prefixes in the 225 area code, accounting for 41.8% of the total.
Implications of Prefix Availability
With 58.3% of its prefixes currently in use, is the 225 area code about to run out of available phone numbers?
Based on current prefix usage, the 225 area code is not in immediate danger of running out of numbers. However, it’s something to keep an eye on as the population grows and the demand for phone numbers increases.
Time zone information and nearby area codes
If you’re dialing a number in the 225 area code, here are some things you might want to know:
Time zone
The 225 area code is in the Central Time Zone, which is GMT -06:00. Like most of the U.S., the area observes daylight saving time, so from mid-March to early November, the area is at GMT -05:00.
Nearby area codes
The 225 area code is surrounded by three other area codes:
- Area code 337. This area code serves the southwestern portion of Louisiana, including cities like Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Opelousas.
- Area code 318. This area code covers northern and central Louisiana, including cities like Shreveport, Monroe, and Alexandria.
- Area code 985. This area code covers the southeastern portion of Louisiana outside of New Orleans, including areas like Houma, Hammond, and Slidell.
Knowing the time zone and nearby area codes can be helpful when making calls to or from the 225 area code, especially if you’re coordinating with people in different parts of the country.
Wrapping Up
Area code 225 serves Louisiana’s capital, Baton Rouge, and a large swath of the surrounding parishes. Home to more than half a million people, the 225 area code is a vital part of the North American Numbering Plan, connecting residents and businesses to the wider world.
Since its creation in 2001, area code 225 has provided reliable phone service to the region. As the population grows and technology evolves, the demand for new phone numbers will only increase. While it’s hard to say exactly when, it’s likely that the 225 area code will eventually need an overlay – another area code assigned to the same geographic area – to ensure everyone has access to the phone numbers they need.