978 area code
Lowell area, Eastern Time.Area code 978 covers Lowell, Lawrence, Billerica and 55 more places in Massachusetts, on Eastern Time. 351 covers the same area.
Right now in Lowell
Eastern Time (EST, UTC-5; EDT, UTC-4 in summer)
Calling hours: Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM (Massachusetts law)
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Where 978 numbers come from
Numbers are issued by rate center, a billing area named for its main town. 978 has 58. Each one's share is how many 978 numbers start there. Its biggest metro area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
- Lowell10%
- Lawrence10%
- Billerica5%
- Peabody4%
- Concord4%
- Danvers3%
- Haverhill3%
- Andover3%
- Salem3%
- Wilmington3%
- Beverly3%
- Fitchburg3%
Also: Acton, Leominster, Maynard, Westford, Newburyport, Sudbury, Gloucester, Littleton, Hudson, Ayer, Gardner, North Reading + 34 more
Share of exchanges (blocks of 10,000 numbers). Source: NANPA rate center and exchange reports, November 10, 2026
When can you call a 978 number?
Sales calls to homes and cell phones have legal hours, set by Massachusetts law. Hold every 978 number to them, since you can't tell a work line from a personal cell.
What applies to 978Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM
- Federal (TCPA and FTC rule)Every day, 8 AM to 9 PMCalls to residential and mobile numbers. Most calls to businesses are exempt from the FTC's rule.47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1); 16 CFR 310.4(c) (opens in a new tab)
- Massachusetts lawEvery day, 8 AM to 8 PMM.G.L. c. 159C §3 (opens in a new tab)
Local time comes from the area code, not from where the person is today. Mobiles keep their number when they move. Calling hours here are a guide, not legal advice. Every state's calling hours, with sources
978 and 351
978 went into service on September 1, 1997, split off from 508. 978 and 351 cover the same area, so new numbers can get either code and neighbors can have different area codes. 978 holds 90% of the area's exchanges; 351 holds the rest. Local calls take all 10 digits.
- 1997978 starts
- 2001351 overlay
Source: NANPA area code database
Calling a list of 978 numbers?
Paste it into the free phone number validator. It checks every number, finds each one's time zone and sorts the list by who you can call right now.
978 area code FAQ
What area code is 978?
978 is a Massachusetts area code for Lowell, Lawrence, Billerica, Peabody and 54 more places.
What time zone is the 978 area code in?
Eastern Time (EST, UTC-5; EDT, UTC-4 in summer).
Is 351 the same as 978?
Same area, different code. 978 and 351 cover the same area (an overlay), so new numbers can get any of them and local calls take all 10 digits.
What are the calling hours for 978 numbers?
Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM, local time, under Massachusetts law.
When did the 978 area code start?
On September 1, 1997. It was split from 508.
Calling 978 numbers? Reach more of them.
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