When living in the United States, it's common to receive calls from unknown numbers.

In such cases, knowing the first three digits of the area code can help you identify where the call is coming from.

The area codes for Fort Worth and the western DFW area are 817 and 682.

817 has a long history. It was first designated in 1953, covering a large area of northern and western Texas. As the DFW Metroplex grew rapidly, the demand for phone numbers surged, leading to a split in 1997 into three directions.

The areas toward Wichita Falls and Denton were separated into 940, while Waco and Killeen were assigned 254, leaving 817 to cover Fort Worth and Tarrant County. However, due to continued demand, 682 was added in October 2000 as an overlay.

An overlay means that two area codes are applied to the same geographic area. 817 and 682 have the same coverage. This includes all of Tarrant County and some nearby areas, such as downtown Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Grapevine, Euless, Bedford, and Southlake.

Calls between the two area codes are treated as local calls, so there are no worries about charges. In practice, newer numbers tend to have the 682 code, while older businesses or personal numbers are more likely to have 817.

As a tip, if you receive a text from a number starting with 817 or 682, you can assume it's from the Fort Worth or Tarrant County area. Most schools, hospitals, and city agencies are also within these two codes. Be cautious, as scam calls or spam texts may disguise themselves with local area codes, so it's wise not to answer unknown 817/682 numbers.

These days, many people use spam-blocking apps like Hiya or Nomorobo. It's interesting to think that even a single phone number has such a history; it's a small but useful piece of knowledge that can make life a bit easier.