What time zone is area code 978 in?

Numbers in the 978 area code sit in Eastern Time.

Is 978 a toll-free or scam area code?

No. 978 is a geographic North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Toll-free numbers use 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. A call from 978 can still be spoofed, so treat unexpected calls with the usual caution.

Area code lookup

978 area code

Where the 978 area code is, which cities and counties it serves, the local time zone and the overlay codes dialled alongside it.

State: MA, NH
Cities covered: 2
Counties: 2
Time zone: Eastern Time

Quick answer

Area code 978 serves Boston and Manchester in Massachusetts, New Hampshire. It sits in Eastern Time and covers 2 counties and about 21 ZIP codes across the metros we track. Numbers there are also dialled as 339, 351, 508, 603, 617, 774, 781, 857.

Cities in the 978 area code

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

City	County	Time zone	ZIP codes
Boston, MA	Suffolk County	EST/EDT	16
Manchester, NH	Hillsborough County	EST/EDT	5

Related area codes

Codes that share or border the same calling area.

978 area code FAQ

The questions people ask about this code.

Where is area code 978?

978 is a geographic area code in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, covering Boston and Manchester.

What time is it in the 978 area code?

978 observes Eastern Time (EST/EDT).

Is 978 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.