Were you a bit confused about Phoenix phone numbers at first? I was too. It's simple once you understand it, so let me break it down for you.

I remember when I first moved to the U.S. and had to apply for a phone, I didn't know which of the three area codes to choose and asked around for a while.

There are three area codes in the Phoenix metro area. First, 602 — this is primarily assigned to the city of Phoenix itself and the downtown area.

It's the oldest area code and can be considered the original Phoenix number. Second, 480 — this is the area code for the southeastern suburbs, including Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Queen Creek. Third, 623 — this is the area code for the western areas, including Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Avondale, and Goodyear.

You need to know this because when making calls within the Phoenix metro area, you must dial all 10 digits, including the area code.

When calling a number that starts with 602, you should dial it in the format 1-602-XXX-XXXX.

Mobile phones handle this automatically, but you may need to pay attention with some landlines or fax systems.

Additionally, there are other area codes throughout Arizona. 520 is for Tucson and southern Arizona, while 928 is for northern Arizona (including Flagstaff, Prescott, Yuma, etc.).

If you receive a call from a number starting with 528 or 928 while living in the Phoenix metro area, you can assume it's a call from a distant location. This is why, after living here for a while, you can generally tell where a call is coming from just by looking at the area code!