Hubbry Logo
Area code 320Area code 320Main
Open search
Area code 320
Community hub
Area code 320
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Area code 320
Area code 320
Area code 320
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
8056010018063
The numbering plan areas of Minnesota, with 320 in light brown.

Area code 320 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan for most of the central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The numbering plan area (NPA) excludes the Twin Cities metro region. The area code was created in 1996 in a split of area code 612.

History

[edit]

In 1995, US West advised the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) that substantial demand for telephone numbers in Minneapolis/St. Paul required dividing numbering plan area 612 with the introduction of a new area code, 320, outside of the metro area.[1] The split became effective on March 17, 1996, with a period of permissive dialing of 612 or 320 ending on September 15 for calls to a 320 destination. The Twin Cities retained the existing area code. Some exchanges, in Red Wing, Wabasha, Goodhue, Lake City, and White Rock in the south-eastern corner of the area were migrated to area code 507 instead of receiving a new area code. This required changing central office predix and station number changes for customers in the 345, 380, and 388 exchange areas, to mitigate numbering conflicts in NPA 507.

320 was the fourth Minnesota area code, and the first new one in the state in 42 years.

In 1998, numbering plan area 612 was reduced to only Minneapolis and a few inner suburbs, when area code 651 was created.[2] The 651 area borders Wisconsin, while area codes 763 and 952 were split from 612 in 2000. Area code 218 borders 320 to the north, and area code 507 covers southern Minnesota. 320 now borders every Minnesota area code except 612, the numbering plan area from which it first was created.

Service area

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Area code 320

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Area code 320 is a area code in the (NANP) that serves in the United States, excluding the metropolitan area. It encompasses approximately 32 counties and over 140 cities, with major population centers including St. Cloud (the largest city in the area code), Willmar, , Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Hutchinson, and Little Falls. The area code was established on March 17, 1996, as a split from the original to address the exhaustion of telephone numbers in the rapidly growing central and western portions of outside the . This relief split allocated 320 to the non-metropolitan regions, allowing 612 to focus on the urban core. As of December 31, 2023, the area code's numbering resources remain available at about 55.6%, with no current overlay or planned relief, supporting both residential and business communications across a diverse of rural communities, agricultural areas, and small urban centers. Area code 320 operates in the (UTC-6, with observed as UTC-5). Local calls within the area require 10-digit dialing, in line with regulations for all U.S. area codes. The region it covers is known for its mix of manufacturing, education (home to institutions like ), and outdoor recreation, contributing to Minnesota's broader economic and cultural landscape.

History

Creation

Area code 612 was established in 1947 as one of the original numbering plan areas under the , initially serving southeastern including the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Over subsequent decades, following boundary adjustments and splits such as the creation of area code 507 in 1954 for southern , the coverage of 612 expanded to encompass much of central and western in addition to the metro region. By the 1980s and early 1990s, escalating demand for telephone numbers in central and western Minnesota—driven by population growth, rising household subscriptions, and the proliferation of devices like fax machines, modems, pagers, and early cell phones—created a critical shortage of available numbers within the 612 area code. To alleviate this pressure, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, working with the numbering plan administrator, approved a split of area code 612, designating 320 for the central and western portions outside the Twin Cities metro area. The new area code 320 entered service on March 17, 1996, marking it as the 169th area code introduced in the . A permissive dialing period followed, during which callers could reach numbers in the split region using either 612 or 320; this transition ended on September 15, 1996, making 320 mandatory thereafter. The code 320 was selected in accordance with guidelines, which reserved codes beginning with 3 for expansion in the Midwest and considered factors like implementation feasibility over strict geographic mapping. Upon activation, central office prefixes in the new 320 territory were reallocated to local exchange carriers, providing immediate access to additional numbering resources for the region.

Subsequent Developments

Since its establishment, area code 320 has maintained stability without facing numbering resource exhaustion that would necessitate overlays or additional splits, a situation that persisted through 2025. The Administrator () monitors central office code utilization closely and allocates new prefixes incrementally to ensure ongoing capacity, with projections as of October 2025 forecasting sufficient resources until the second quarter of 2063. Administrative updates in the 2000s included Minnesota's broader shift toward for local calls, driven by (FCC) mandates to prepare for the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In area code 320, this transition became mandatory on October 24, 2021, requiring users to dial the full area code plus seven-digit number for all local calls, aligning with similar changes in non-overlay regions across the state. The integration of emerging technologies, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and wireless mobile services, occurred throughout the and without requiring modifications to the area code's geographic boundaries. These advancements expanded service options for residents while adhering to the existing framework managed by NANPA and the FCC.

Service Area

Geographic Coverage

Area code 320 serves , having been created in 1996 as a split from to address numbering shortages outside the metropolitan area. The service area spans 32 counties in this region, including Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, , Meeker, Kandiyohi, Todd, Douglas, and , along with others such as Morrison, Otter Tail, and Swift, forming a broad swath of the state's interior. Its northern boundary follows the southern limit of , which encompasses northern , while the southern boundary approaches but does not cross into the territory of area code 507 near the state line. To the east, the area abuts the region covered by area codes 612 and 651, and to the west, it reaches the state line, adjacent to area code 605. Entirely within , the boundaries create an irregular outline that largely avoids densely urbanized zones, as visible on state area code maps. The terrain is predominantly rural and agricultural, characterized by fertile plains and prairies ideal for farming, with gentle rolling hills and influences from the valley that add varied topography including bluffs and floodplains. Proximity to numerous glacial lakes, such as Mille Lacs, enhances the landscape with wooded shorelines, wetlands, and recreational waterways amid the central region's mix of cropland and natural features.

Major Cities and Communities

The largest city within area code 320 is St. Cloud, with a population of 68,881 as of the , serving as a major hub for education due to and for manufacturing industries that contribute significantly to the regional economy. Willmar, with a 2020 population of 21,015, functions as an agricultural center in , supporting farming operations and hosting events like the nearby Swift County Fair in Appleton that highlight rural traditions and community agriculture. Alexandria, home to 14,335 residents in 2020, is a key tourism destination centered around Lake Carlos State Park, which offers recreational activities such as boating, , and , while also housing the Douglas County courthouse as a seat of local governance. Buffalo, located in Wright with a 2020 population of 16,168, represents a suburban growth area proximate to the Twin Cities metropolitan region, attracting residential and commercial development amid rapid county-wide population increases. Hutchinson, the of McLeod and with 14,599 residents in 2020, features industrial parks that support business expansion and is surrounded by lakes like those at Piepenburg and Stahl's Lake Parks, enhancing local recreation and economic vitality. Other notable communities include Sartell (population 19,351 in ), a growing with ties; Sauk Rapids (13,862 in ), adjacent to St. Cloud and focused on residential and ; and smaller towns like Paynesville (2,388 in ), known for its rural charm and proximity to lakes. Area code 320 encompasses a mix of urban, suburban, and rural demographics across , with a total of approximately 678,000 as of , driven economically by , , healthcare, and sectors unique to the region.

References

  1. https://www.allareacodes.com/320
  2. https://www.zip-codes.com/area-code/area-code-320.asp
  3. https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-area-code-creation-explainer/
  4. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-408489A1.pdf
  5. https://www.sent.dm/resources/area-code-320
  6. https://talkroute.com/virtual-phone-numbers/local-phone-numbers/minnesota-phone-numbers/320-area-code-number/
  7. https://www.lincmad.com/table1947.html
  8. https://knsiradio.com/2023/04/19/minnesota-to-get-new-area-code/
  9. https://www.echopress.com/opinion/columns/from-the-echo-press-archives-1996-new-320-area-code-becomes-mandatory-after-pagers-faxes-and-cell-phones-spur-need-for-more-numbers
  10. https://www.paynesvillearea.com/news/headlinesarticles/archives/091196/New320areacodeineffect.html
  11. https://www.allareacodes.com/612
  12. https://www.nanpa.com/sites/default/files/2025-10/2025-2NPAExhaustProjectionsFinal.pdf
  13. https://grantcountyherald.com/news/ten-digit-dialing-for-local-calls-starts-october-24/
  14. https://www.allareacodes.com/minnesota_area_codes.htm
  15. https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/pdf/misc/areacode.pdf
  16. https://www.ricelakecitymn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/City-Census-Populations-2020.pdf
  17. https://www.developstcloud.com/news-and-media/latest-news/p/item/60866/theres-great-industry-growth-in-st-cloud-mn
  18. https://ci.stcloud.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/21449/key-industries-cut-sheet-final
  19. https://www.willmarlakesarea.com/listings/willmar/
  20. http://www.swiftcountyfair.org/
  21. https://explorealex.com/listing/lake-carlos-state-park/
  22. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00211
  23. https://hutchinsoneda.com/shovel-ready-sites/
  24. https://www.mcleodcountymn.gov/departments/public_works/parks___recreation/piepenburg_park/index.php
  25. https://www.zipdatamaps.com/area-code-320
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
Contribute something
User Avatar
No comments yet.