Prior to 1947, the process of making a phone call was difficult if the call you wanted to make was across the country. In order to simplify the phone call process area codes were introduced as part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

Since 1947 there have been 317 area codes added in the United States and 18 more area codes that 18 non-geographic area codes. That’s 335 total for the United States. This begs the question: Which states have the most area codes? And what does that say about the state and its population?

The ten U.S. states with the most area codes, reflecting their larger populations and greater demand for phone numbers, are:

California

California has 38 area codes:
209, 213, 310, 323, 408, 415, 424, 442, 510, 530, 559, 562, 619, 626, 650, 657, 661, 669, 707, 714, 747, 760, 805, 818, 831, 858, 909, 916, 925, 949 951

Texas

Texas has 27 area codes:
210, 214, 254, 281, 325, 346, 361, 409, 430, 432, 469, 512, 682, 713, 737, 806, 817, 830, 832, 903, 915, 936, 940, 956, 972, and 979

New York

New York has 21 area codes:
212, 315, 329, 332, 347, 363, 516, 518, 585, 607, 631, 646, 680, 716, 718, 838, 845, 914, 917, 929, 934

Florida

Florida has 19 area codes:
239, 305, 321, 352, 386, 407, 448, 561, 645, 656, 727, 728, 754, 772, 786, 813, 850, 863, 904, 941, 954

Illinois

Illinois has 13 area codes:
217, 224, 309, 312, 331, 447, 464, 618, 630, 708, 773, 779, 815, 847, 872, 618, 730

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has 13 area codes:
215, 267, 272, 412, 445, 484, 570, 582, 610, 717, 724, 814, 835, 878, 838

Ohio

Ohio has 15 area codes:
216, 220, 234, 283, 326, 330, 380, 419, 440, 513, 567, 614, 740, 937, 984

Georgia

Georgia has 10 area codes:
229, 404, 470, 478, 678, 706, 762, 770, 912, 943

Michigan

Michigan has 12 area codes:
231, 248, 269, 278, 313, 517, 586, 616, 734, 810, 906, 989

New Jersey

New Jersey has 10 area codes:
201, 551, 609, 640, 732, 848, 856, 862, 908, 973

These states have multiple area codes due to high population density, metropolitan regions, and significant telecommunications demand. With populations increasing in all of these areas it will not be long before they start adopting even more area codes.