Where is the 253 area code?

Area code 253 covers Seattle in Washington, on Pacific Time.

What time zone is area code 253 in?

Numbers in the 253 area code sit in Pacific Time.

Is 253 a toll-free or scam area code?

No. 253 is a geographic North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Washington. Toll-free numbers use 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. A call from 253 can still be spoofed, so treat unexpected calls with the usual caution.

Area code lookup

253 area code

Where the 253 area code is, which cities and counties it serves, the local time zone and the overlay codes dialled alongside it.

State: WA
Cities covered: 1
Counties: 1
Time zone: Pacific Time

Quick answer

Area code 253 serves Seattle in Washington. It sits in Pacific Time and covers 1 county and about 12 ZIP codes across the metros we track. Numbers there are also dialled as 206, 360, 425.

Cities in the 253 area code

Each city links to its full local profile: sales tax, housing, income and ZIP codes.

City	County	Time zone	ZIP codes
Seattle, WA	King County	PST/PDT	12

Related area codes

Codes that share or border the same calling area.

253 area code FAQ

The questions people ask about this code.

Where is area code 253?

253 is a geographic area code in Washington, covering Seattle.

What time is it in the 253 area code?

253 observes Pacific Time (PST/PDT).

Is 253 a scam area code?

No — it is a normal geographic code, not a toll-free or premium-rate prefix. Caller ID can be spoofed on any code, so verify unexpected callers before sharing information.

Sources & transparency

North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) area code assignments — area code to geography mapping and overlay relationships
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates — city, county and ZIP code geography

Last reviewed August 2026. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.