North American Numbers Source-cited · ownership disclosed
Area code
218
In service
United States · since 1947

Northern Minnesota (Duluth)

One of Minnesota's two original 1947 area codes, covering roughly the northern half of the state. Its low population density has spared it from any splits or overlays.

The essentials Numbering data · NumberResearch · as of 2026-09-18
Place
Northern Minnesota (Duluth)
Type
geographic
Status
in service
In service since
1947
Projected exhaust
2036 Q3

Status, dates and counts are read from NumberResearch (NANPA / CNAC / FCC records). Assignment records show initial assignees, not the carrier serving a number today.

A · Where it is

Where 218 is

Northern Minnesota (roughly the northern half of the state), including the Iron Range, Arrowhead, and northwestern counties plus the Northwest Angle..

Communities served wholly or partly by 218:

DuluthHibbingBrainerdBemidjiFergus FallsMoorhead
B · Relationships

How it relates to other codes

The codes 218 was split from, spawned, or shares its area with. A split divides the map and changes some numbers; an overlay shares the same ground and changes none — what's the difference?

Related · 1954 507 Southern Minnesota (Rochester) In the 1954 realignment, southern territory was reorganized into 507 and the central band into 612; 218 was reduced to the northern band.
Related · 1996 320 Central Minnesota (St. Cloud) Adjacent to the south.
What's changing. No overlay; single area code with no splits, owing to low population density.
C · History

How 218 got here

1947
Created as one of Minnesota's two original NANP area codes, covering the northern and western two-thirds of the state.
Source: Wikipedia
1954
Boundaries redrawn; 218 reduced to the northern band as 507 (south) and 612 (central) were reorganized.
Source: Wikipedia
2021-10-24
Ten-digit dialing adopted following the 988 designation.
Source: Wikipedia
D · Capacity

How full it is

Prefixes assigned
722
Prefixes available
78
Thousands-blocks assigned
2,389

Prefix-assignment counts describe allocation to carriers, not how many individual numbers are in use. Full technical records: NumberResearch ↗.

Compare 218 with another code →
Sources
Wikipedia ↗
Area code 218
NumberResearch.org ↗
Live status, dates, assignment counts and exhaust forecast — data as of 2026-09-18 (CC BY 4.0).

Place, relationships and history above are compiled by North American Numbers from the sources listed and last checked 2026-09-18. A check date is not an expert review — see how this is made. Flag an error.