North American Numbers Source-cited · ownership disclosed
Area code
515
In service
United States · since 1947

Des Moines / central Iowa

Serves central Iowa including the Des Moines metro. One of Iowa's three original 1947 area codes; not part of any overlay.

The essentials Numbering data · NumberResearch · as of 2026-09-18
Place
Des Moines / central Iowa
Type
geographic
Status
in service
In service since
1947
Projected exhaust
2042 Q2

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 515 is

North-central Iowa centered on Polk County and the Des Moines metropolitan area, extending northwest..

Communities served wholly or partly by 515:

Des MoinesAmesAnkenyWest Des MoinesUrbandaleJohnstonBooneFort DodgeIndianola
B · Relationships

How it relates to other codes

The codes 515 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?

Spawned · 2000 641 Mason City / central-south Iowa 641 split from 515 in July 2000, taking the eastern and southern portions.
Related · 1947 712 Sioux City / western Iowa Adjacent to the west.
What's changing. No overlay; single area code serving its geography.
C · History

How 515 got here

1947
Established as one of Iowa's three original area codes, spanning Minnesota to Missouri north-south.
Source: Wikipedia
2000-07-09
Reduced when 641 split off; 515 retained roughly one-fourth of its original territory. First split in Iowa since 1947.
Source: Wikipedia
D · Capacity

How full it is

Prefixes assigned
593
Prefixes available
207
Thousands-blocks assigned
2,918

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

Compare 515 with another code →
Sources
Wikipedia ↗
Area code 515
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.