Area code 309
Where 309 is, how it is dialed, which carriers hold its numbers and how many of its codes are in use, from NANPA's 10/01/2026 files.
- State
- IL
- In service
- 1957
- Assigned codes
- 786of 800 possible
- Carriers
- 71
Area code 309 at a glance
Area code 309 is a geographic area code in Illinois, in service since January 1, 1957, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). It is an overlay: 309 and 861 cover the same territory, so neighbors on the same street can have different area codes. It is in the Central time zone. The places with the most assigned exchanges include Peoria, Bloomington, Rock Island, Macomb, and Galesburg. By population, its largest named places are Peoria, Bloomington, Avon, Moline, and Rock Island.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| In service since | January 1, 1957 |
| Overlay | Yes, with 861 |
| Time zone | Central |
| Local calls within the code | ten digits (area code plus number) |
| Assigned central office codes | 786 |
| Rate centers with codes | 171 |
| Carriers holding codes | 71 |
| Pooled codes | 575 |
| Codes assigned since 2020 | 109 |
| Relief planning in progress | No |
Source: NANPA NPA report and utilized central office code file, both dated 10/01/2026.
Where 309 numbers are local
309 holds 8.8% of the 8,977 central office codes assigned in Illinois, the 2nd most of the state's 17 codes. 151 Census places could be matched to rate centers with 309 exchanges; the most populous are Peoria (112,000), Bloomington (79,232), Avon (63,611), and Moline (42,442). For a storefront or service area inside 309, the place pages show which prefixes are rated local there.
| Place | Population (2024) | Area codes | Exchanges | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 111,696 | 309, 861 | 159 | 39 |
| Bloomington, IL | 79,232 | 309 | 76 | 26 |
| Avon, IL | 63,611 | 309 | 2 | 2 |
| Moline, IL | 42,442 | 309, 861 | 18 | 9 |
| Rock Island, IL | 36,434 | 309, 861 | 42 | 13 |
| Pekin, IL | 31,266 | 309, 861 | 18 | 8 |
| Galesburg, IL | 29,289 | 309 | 20 | 10 |
| Washington, IL | 24,175 | 309 | 6 | 4 |
| Hampton, IL | 21,549 | 309 | 4 | 4 |
| East Moline, IL | 20,995 | 309 | 16 | 7 |
| Groveland, IL | 18,401 | 309 | 3 | 3 |
| Morton, IL | 18,172 | 309 | 8 | 3 |
| Macomb, IL | 14,765 | 309 | 23 | 15 |
| Canton, IL | 13,778 | 309 | 13 | 10 |
| Kewanee, IL | 12,146 | 309 | 13 | 6 |
Population: Census Vintage 2024 estimates for the matched place. Exchanges and carriers: NANPA utilized code file.
Ten-digit and seven-digit dialing in 309
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 309 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits. Ten-digit local dialing means the area code is part of how customers save and recognize your number, so print it in full everywhere. NANPA's dialing-plan note for this code reads: "1+10 digit permissible at service provider discretion."
Carriers with 309 numbers
71 carriers hold the 786 central office codes assigned in 309. Frontier North, INC. - Il has the most, with 99 (13%). 575 of the codes (73%) are pooled, meaning the code holder shares blocks of 1,000 numbers with other carriers instead of using all 10,000 itself. Numbers can move between carriers through porting, so a code's holder tells you where the block started, not where every number lives now.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Frontier North, INC. - Il | 99 | 13% |
| Illinois Bell Tel CO | 83 | 11% |
| Onvoy, LLC | 74 | 9.4% |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - Il | 66 | 8.4% |
| Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - Il | 46 | 5.9% |
| Mediacom Telephony of Illinois, LLC - Il | 39 | 5.0% |
| Citizens Telecom CO Illinois-frontier Citizens -il | 35 | 4.5% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - Il | 34 | 4.3% |
| T-mobile USA, INC. | 34 | 4.3% |
| Brightspeed of Illinois, LLC | 24 | 3.1% |
| United States Cellular - Il | 23 | 2.9% |
| Stratus Networks | 21 | 2.7% |
Carrier names are the operating company (OCN) names on NANPA's utilized central office code file dated 10/01/2026. A carrier holding a code may port numbers to other carriers.
Local calling areas in 309
NANPA assigns each central office code to a rate center, the local calling area that decides whether a call is local or toll. 309 has codes in 171 rate centers. The table lists the rate centers with the most codes, with the matching Census place where the abbreviation could be matched.
| Rate center (NANPA) | Place | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| PEORIA | Peoria, IL | 155 |
| BLOOMINGTN | Bloomington, IL | 76 |
| ROCKISLAND | Rock Island, IL | 41 |
| MACOMB | Macomb, IL | 23 |
| GALESBURG | Galesburg, IL | 20 |
| PEKIN | Pekin, IL | 17 |
| MOLINE | Moline, IL | 17 |
| EASTMOLINE | East Moline, IL | 16 |
| CANTON | Canton, IL | 13 |
| KEWANEE | Kewanee, IL | 13 |
| MORTON | Morton, IL | 8 |
| MONMOUTH | Monmouth, IL | 8 |
| GENESEO | Geneseo, IL | 7 |
| WASHINGTON | Washington, IL | 6 |
| MOSSVILLE | not matched | 6 |
| WYOMING | Wyoming, IL | 5 |
| SOUTHPEKIN | South Pekin, IL | 5 |
| ALEDO | Aledo, IL | 5 |
| SPRING BAY | Spring Bay, IL | 4 |
| NORTHPEKIN | North Pekin, IL | 4 |
| FARMINGTON | Farmington, IL | 4 |
| CHILLICOTH | Chillicothe, IL | 4 |
| HAMPTON | Hampton, IL | 4 |
| METAMORA | Metamora, IL | 4 |
| SUNNYLAND | not matched | 4 |
Top 25 of 171 rate centers.
How full is area code 309?
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). 786 are assigned in 309, 98% of 800. 109 were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 165 | 49% |
| 2010s | 65 | 19% |
| 2020s | 109 | 32% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
A local 309 number on Callata
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in area code 309, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 309?
309 is a geographic area code in Illinois. Places with the most assigned exchanges include Peoria, Bloomington, Rock Island, and Macomb.
What time zone is area code 309 in?
NANPA lists 309 in the Central time zone.
When did area code 309 go into service?
NANPA records an in-service date of January 1, 1957.
Is 309 an overlay area code?
Yes. It shares its territory with 861.
Can my business get a 309 phone number?
Callata includes up to 3 local numbers on its $99/month plan (5 users included). Which 309 numbers are open depends on carrier inventory when you choose, and you can port an existing number for free.