Area codes 561 and 728 facts for kids
Have you ever wondered about the first three numbers you dial when you call someone? Those numbers are called an area code, and they tell the telephone network what part of the country you're trying to reach. In Palm Beach County, Florida, people use the area codes 561 and 728.
These area codes cover many well-known cities, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Wellington, Boynton Beach, and Jupiter.
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History of Area Codes in Palm Beach County
The Beginning of Area Code 561
Back in the day, all of Palm Beach County was part of area code 407. But the area was growing fast, with more and more people needing phone numbers. To make sure there were enough numbers to go around, a new area code was created. On May 13, 1996, area code 561 was born.
Growing Pains and a New Split
The new 561 area code became very popular. In just five years, with so many new residents and the rise of cell phones, phone numbers started to run out again! To solve this, the region was split in 2002. The northern part, known as the Treasure Coast, was given a new area code, area code 772. This left area code 561 to serve just Palm Beach County.
Adding Area Code 728
For about 21 years, the 561 area code had enough numbers for everyone in Palm Beach County. But as the county continued to grow, it became clear that another solution was needed.
Instead of splitting the area again, a different method called an overlay was used. An overlay simply adds a new area code to the same geographic region. On March 10, 2023, area code 728 was added to serve the same area as 561. This means new phone numbers in Palm Beach County can now start with either 561 or 728.
Why Ten-Digit Dialing is Required
If you live in Palm Beach County, you have to dial all ten digits of a phone number (the area code + the seven-digit number), even when calling a neighbor. This is because of a special three-digit number: 988.
In 2020, the number 988 was set up as a nationwide number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Before this, 988 was used as a regular prefix (the first three digits of a seven-digit phone number) in the 561 area code. To avoid confusion and make sure calls to the lifeline went through correctly, the area switched to ten-digit dialing by October 24, 2021. This way, the phone system knows if you're dialing the three-digit lifeline or a ten-digit local number.
See also
- List of Florida area codes
- List of NANP area codes
