Area code 254

Area code 254 at a glance

NANPA lists 254 as an in-service geographic area code for Texas, first put into service on May 25, 1997. It is not part of an overlay, so every number in its territory starts with 254. It is in the Central time zone. The places with the most assigned exchanges include Waco, Killeen, Temple, Hillsboro, and Stephenville. By population, its largest named places are Killeen, Waco, Temple, Copperas Cove, and Belton.

Cities and towns in area code 254

254 holds 4.2% of the 16,097 central office codes assigned in Texas, the 14th most of the state's 29 codes. 74 Census places could be matched to rate centers with 254 exchanges; the most populous are Killeen (161,000), Waco (147,000), Temple (96,267), and Copperas Cove (39,627). Each place page lists the exact prefixes and carriers for that town.

Dialing 254 numbers

According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 254 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits. Because local calls need the area code, business cards, signage and website copy should always show the full ten-digit number. NANPA's dialing-plan note for this code reads: "1+10 digit permissible at service provider discretion."

Phone companies in area code 254

54 carriers hold the 671 central office codes assigned in 254. Southwestern Bell has the most, with 93 (14%). 517 of the codes (77%) are pooled, meaning the code holder shares blocks of 1,000 numbers with other carriers instead of using all 10,000 itself. The code holder is not necessarily the carrier serving a given number today, since numbers can be ported between providers.

Rate centers and towns in 254

NANPA assigns each central office code to a rate center, the local calling area that decides whether a call is local or toll. 254 has codes in 111 rate centers. Rate center names in the file are abbreviations; where one matches a Census place, the table links to that city's local-number page.

254 code assignments over time

An area code has 800 possible central office codes that start with 2 through 9, a few of which are reserved (such as N11 service codes and 555). 671 are assigned in 254, 84% of 800. 151 were assigned in 2020 or later.

A local 254 number on Callata

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in area code 254 is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.