213 vs 323
Downtown & Central LA · Central Los Angeles
They're related. 323 originally split from 213 on June 13, 1998 (213 kept downtown exchanges).
213
Downtown & Central LA
Region
Downtown and central Los Angeles and adjacent southeast L.A. County communities
Type
geographic
In service since
1947
Overlay status
Active — 213/323 overlay complex since July 8, 2017, with 738 added November 1, 2024.
323
Central Los Angeles
Region
Central Los Angeles and surrounding southeast L.A. County cities
Type
geographic
In service since
1998
Overlay status
Active — part of the 213/323 overlay complex since July 8, 2017.
How to read this. We compare only facts that have a source — place, history, and relationship. We deliberately do not score which area code is “better,” “more valuable,” or “more trustworthy”; those are not properties of an area code.
Other comparisons
Facts and dates are cited on each area code's profile (213 · 323); status and in-service data via NumberResearch. How this is made.