The 301 area code corresponds to the western portion of Maryland. This prefix is one of the original codes designated for the Washington Metropolitan Area.
As part of the national capital region, the western side of the state is a rural area known for its mountainous terrain.
The dialing number 301 also belongs to southern Maryland. This codification covers 11 counties in the area including Montgomery, Garrett. and most of Frederick. Moreover, the cities of Germantown, Silver Spring, Waldorf, and Rockville form an important part of its coverage radius.
1. History
Activated in 1947, the prefix 301 used to cover the entire region of Maryland. It’s one of 86 dialing codes created upon the establishment of the North America Numbering Plan in the same year.
Maryland remained as one of the largest states with a single area code until 1991 when the 410 area code started running. 44 years later, the prefix 301 stopped serving the whole territory and stayed on the western side.
Generally, when an area code gets split, the greatest city stays with the old number. However, the new codification 410 was designated to Baltimore, the largest in the state.
On June 1, 1997, the cellphone proliferation and the telephone number shortages made necessary the introduction of another prefix for the western and southern region. The 240 area code came to the state to solve this conflict, being the first overlay in Maryland. At the moment, both codes have not to project to exhaust until 2026.
2. Location
The 301 area code contains 283 non-unique postal area zip codes and covers 4146.61 square miles into the western and southern portions of Maryland. This location disposes of 23 counties, of which 11 are covered by the 301 codification
This state belongs to the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, at the center of the Eastern seaboard. Maryland is located in the Eastern Daylight time zone, sharing it with Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and many more locations.
The western part of Maryland stands out for the great diversity of its landscapes, forests and mountains. The largest city in this part of the state is Hagerstown, belonging to Washington County. Also, the Western side owns the 2 most populous counties in the area, Prince George's and Montgomery.
Adjacent codes
The 301 is not the only codification functioning in Maryland since four additional area codes serve the entire region. One of them is the 240 prefix, which covers the same area that the original one.
On the other hand, the eastern side of Maryland possesses the 410 area code, which counts more than 3.1 million users and serves the largest city in the territory. Besides, this codification has two overlays, the 443 and 667 area codes.
The prefix 410 is the dialing code most employed in Maryland. It encloses several important counties, cities, districts, and communities inside the state, such as Columbia, Howard, and Harford County, among others.
3. Most Important Cities in the 301 Area Code
Germantown
Germantown is the most populous city covered by the 301 area code and third in all the states. This place is an urban zone located in Montgomery County. Plus, it disposes of roughly 90.582 residents.
Founded in the early 19th, Germantown lies in the Washington Metropolitan Area as one of the most iconic cities. Although this zone is well-known for its large amount of European residents from its foundation, it was home to several Native American communities at first.
This hub of suburbs contains from historic national parks to elegant shopping centers, malls and restaurants. Also, Germantown disposes of a solid telecommunications system and owns three non-unique ZIP codes: 20874, 20876, and 20879
Silver Spring
This location is an edge city situated in southeastern Montgomery County. Incorporated in the late 18th century, Silver Spring is the oldest and most urbanized part of the community.
This city located to the north of Washington D.C. is considered a center for business, shopping, and entertainment. Further, the region appears as the fourth most populous place in Maryland, with around 81.773 inhabitants, surpassed by Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.
This city encompasses six non-unique ZIP codes : 20783, 20815, 20901, 20903, 20910, 20912
4. Other Important Locations and ZIP Codes of the 301 Area Code
The 301 area code is one of the most populated prefix numbers in Maryland State. Besides, it includes the locations of:
- Montgomery County: is the county of Maryland with the most population, this region adjacent to Washington D.C has a total area of 507 square miles. Its largest municipality is Rockville and disposes of 45 non-unique ZIP codes.
- Prince George's County: with around 327 inhabitants, Prince George’s County is the second-most populous county in Maryland. Incorporated in the Washington Metropolitan Area its county seat is Upper Marlboro. This location encloses 35 non-unique ZIP codes.
- Frederick County: formed in 1748, this county is renowned for its agriculture and manufacturing, its principal economic activities. Its county seat is in the city of Frederick and covers 31 non-unique ZIP codes.
- Washington County: situated in western Maryland, this county has roughly 049 inhabitants. A great part of its territory lies on the board of Hagerstown Valley. This region possesses 17 non-unique ZIP codes.
- Charles County: named by Charles Calvert, this county is incorporated in 1658. Bounded by the Potomac River to the north and west, Charles lies in south-central Maryland and disposes of 20 non-unique ZIP codes.
5. Main Postal and Shipping Services
- USPS Silver Spring Carrier Annex, Silver Spring, MD- +1 301-586-7613
- USPS Distribution Center, Silver Spring, MD- +1 301-608-3673
- Postal Service Mail Processing Center, Hyattsville, MD+1 301-209-8905
- The UPS Store, Cumberland, MD- +1 301-724-4200
- Frederick Post Office, Frederick, MD - +1 301-624-8050
6. FAQs
How Many Area Codes Are There in Western Washington?
Western Maryland disposes of 2 area codes: the original code 301 and the overlay 240.
What is the most used area code in Maryland?
The most used area code in Maryland is the prefix 410, which corresponds to the eastern portion of the state.