Quick answer: Area code 662 is the telephone prefix for northern Mississippi, covering 46 counties and 134 cities — from the Memphis metro suburbs of DeSoto County through Tupelo, Oxford, Starkville, and the Mississippi Delta. Created on April 19, 1999, as a geographic split from area code 601, it operates in the Central Time Zone. An overlay entered service in January 2026, making ten-digit dialing mandatory for all 662 calls.
Mississippi's northern calling corridor: inside the 662 area code
Area code 662 covers the entire northern half of Mississippi. Its territory stretches from the Tennessee border south into the Mississippi Delta, and from the Arkansas border east toward Alabama. It is one of two active codes serving the state. It complements area code 601, which covers central and southern Mississippi including Jackson.
662 was created as a geographic split. Its territory was carved from the original 601 footprint rather than overlaid on top of it. Every community north of the split boundary carries a 662 prefix. All existing 601 numbers in that region were reassigned to 662 when the new code launched on April 19, 1999.
DeSoto County functions as a direct suburb of the Memphis metropolitan area. That makes the 662 territory a bridge between two regional economies. In the north, communities orbit Memphis, Tennessee. Further south sit the more self-contained cities of Tupelo, Oxford, Starkville, and the Delta corridor.
Pairing a 662 number with a 629 area code Nashville presence creates a natural Tennessee-Mississippi Mid-South commercial corridor. It connects northern Mississippi's manufacturing and agricultural markets with Tennessee's healthcare, automotive, and logistics economy.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Number Plan Area (NPA) | 662 |
| Split from | 601 |
| Location | Northern Mississippi |
| Type | Geographic split |
| Time Zone | Central Time (CT) |
| Created | April 19, 1999 |
| State | Mississippi |
| Country Code | +1 |
| Counties covered | 46 |
Tupelo, Southaven, and Oxford — key cities of the 662 service area
The 662 territory spans 134 cities and communities across 46 counties and 232 zip codes. Its geography splits into three distinct sub-regions: the Memphis-adjacent DeSoto County suburbs, the north-central Mississippi city corridor, and the Mississippi Delta.
DeSoto County — the Memphis metro fringe:
- Southaven — The largest city in DeSoto County and the third-largest city in Mississippi. This fast-growing suburban and commercial community sits directly south of Memphis along I-55. It hosts major retail, logistics, and distribution operations, anchored by proximity to Memphis International Airport and the FedEx World Hub
- Olive Branch — One of the fastest-growing cities in Mississippi. It is a significant warehousing, distribution, and logistics corridor along US-78
- Hernando — The DeSoto County seat. It is a residential and professional community anchoring county government and growing medical, legal, and financial services
Lee County and the north-central corridor:
- Tupelo — The largest independent city in the 662 territory and the birthplace of Elvis Presley. It is one of the largest manufacturing and furniture industry centers in the American South. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi operates in nearby Blue Springs (Union County). North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC), the largest rural hospital in the United States, is based in Tupelo. Ashley Furniture Industries and Lane Furniture anchor the region's deep furniture manufacturing heritage
University cities:
- Oxford (Lafayette County) — Home to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) with over 22,000 students. Oxford has built one of the most vibrant small-city culinary, literary, and technology scenes in the South, anchored by the Ole Miss academic and athletic economy
- Starkville (Oktibbeha County) — Home to Mississippi State University (MSU) with over 22,000 students. MSU is a major land-grant research university with particularly strong programs in agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine
- Columbus (Lowndes County) — Home to Mississippi University for Women (MUW) and Columbus Air Force Base, a key Air Education and Training Command installation
Mississippi Delta:
- Greenville (Washington County) — The largest city in the Mississippi Delta. It is a historic agricultural and transportation hub on the Mississippi River
- Clarksdale (Coahoma County) — The recognized epicenter of the Delta Blues music tradition. It is home to the Delta Blues Museum and a growing heritage tourism economy
- Cleveland (Bolivar County) — Home to Delta State University. The nearby Dockery Farms historic site is recognized as one of the birthplaces of Delta Blues
| Sub-region | Key communities |
|---|---|
| DeSoto County / Memphis suburbs | Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando, Nesbit |
| Lee County / north-central MS | Tupelo, Corinth, Iuka, New Albany |
| University cities | Oxford (Ole Miss), Starkville (MSU), Columbus (MUW) |
| Mississippi Delta | Greenville, Clarksdale, Cleveland, Greenwood, Indianola |
From statewide 601 to standalone 662: Mississippi's 1999 phone map rewrite
Area code 601 was one of the original 86 area codes assigned in 1947 at the launch of the North American Numbering Plan. It covered the entire state of Mississippi. That single-code structure served the state for five decades. By the late 1990s, the explosion of mobile phone subscribers, pager lines, and fax machines was depleting 601's available central office prefixes.
The Mississippi Public Service Commission worked with NANPA to implement a geographic split. On April 19, 1999, area code 662 was activated for the northern half of Mississippi, with 601 retained for the central and southern regions. The split was chosen over an overlay because demand was clearly concentrated by region, which made a geographic boundary practical.
However, continued growth in mobile and VoIP subscriber lines meant 662's own prefix supply eventually also neared exhaustion. NANPA projected in 2023 that northern Mississippi would reach central office prefix exhaustion. An overlay for the 662 territory entered network preparation in 2025. The overlay went into service in January 2026. Ten-digit dialing became mandatory across the entire 662 region.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1947 | Area code 601 assigned to all of Mississippi |
| April 19, 1999 | Area code 662 split for northern Mississippi; 601 retained for central/southern MS |
| 2023 | NANPA projects 662 approaching central office prefix exhaustion |
| 2025 | Overlay network preparation begins for 662 territory |
| January 2026 | Overlay enters service; 10-digit dialing mandatory across 662 |
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Reaching 662 numbers: dialing and time zone basics
With an overlay now active in the 662 territory, ten-digit dialing is mandatory for every call — including local calls between two numbers in the same Tupelo or Southaven zip code.
| Calling scenario | Format |
|---|---|
| Any local call in the 662 territory | 662-XXX-XXXX (ten digits mandatory) |
| Anywhere else in the US or Canada | 1-662-XXX-XXXX |
| International call to a 662 number | +1 662 XXX XXXX |
Time zone: The entire 662 territory observes Central Time — one hour behind the East Coast and two hours ahead of the Pacific Coast. It is aligned with Memphis, Nashville, Chicago, and Dallas. DeSoto County sits physically inside the Memphis metro. That means most business contacts in the northernmost 662 communities operate on Central Time in direct sync with Memphis, so cross-border scheduling is seamless.
Why northern Mississippi businesses put a 662 number to work
A 662 area code number positions a business in the middle of a diverse regional economy. That economy spans Memphis-adjacent logistics, a globally important furniture manufacturing cluster, an automotive supply chain, two flagship universities, a major military installation, and the agricultural and cultural richness of the Mississippi Delta.
Key reasons to establish a 662 area code number:
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi (Blue Springs) — Toyota's Blue Springs facility in Union County produces Corolla and Corolla Cross vehicles. It has anchored a substantial automotive supplier and logistics network across northern Mississippi. Businesses serving Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive supply chains benefit from a 662 number's local credibility with procurement teams
- Tupelo furniture industry — Lee and Union counties anchor the densest furniture manufacturing cluster in the southeastern United States. Ashley Furniture Industries is headquartered in Ecru. The cluster supports a wide materials, logistics, retail, and design services supply chain
- North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) — Based in Tupelo, NMMC is the largest rural hospital in the United States. It is a major regional healthcare employer that anchors a healthcare, medical supply, and professional services economy across Lee and surrounding counties
- Ole Miss and MSU research corridor — Oxford and Starkville together host over 44,000 university students and two major research universities. They generate significant demand in technology, biomedical, agricultural research, engineering, and professional services
- UCaaS virtual northern Mississippi presence — Businesses targeting the 662 territory's automotive, furniture, healthcare, or university markets from outside Mississippi can build immediate Tupelo and Southaven credibility through a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform. It provisions a 662 number with cloud-hosted voice, video, messaging, and analytics, and routes every inbound call to any device worldwide. Pairing a 662 number with a 504 area code New Orleans presence creates a natural Gulf South corridor strategy. It connects northern Mississippi's manufacturing and agricultural economy with Louisiana's energy, port, and hospitality capital
Fake debt collectors and other 662 scam threats
Area code 662 is a legitimate telephone prefix serving millions of residents and businesses across northern Mississippi. Even so, scammers actively spoof 662 numbers to appear local to Tupelo, Southaven, and Delta community residents.
Most frequently reported 662 scam types:
- Fake debt collection calls — The most distinctive 662 scam pattern. Callers claim to represent firms such as "Capital Reassurance" or "Phoenix Financial." They allege that a mediation notice or legal complaint has been filed against the target and threaten that court documents will be served at home or work unless immediate payment is made by bank transfer. The debts are fabricated, and neither firm is a registered legitimate debt collector in Mississippi
- Amazon account security fraud — Callers pose as Amazon security representatives. They allege a large unauthorized purchase and direct the target to a fraudulent verification website. When login credentials are entered, scammers access the real account to make unauthorized purchases or extract stored payment card data
- Social Security suspension robocalls — Prerecorded calls claim a Social Security number has been "suspended" or "deleted" due to flagged criminal activity. They demand the target call back immediately to verify identity or pay to reinstate benefits
- IRS enforcement impersonation — Callers pose as IRS agents and threaten immediate arrest or asset seizure unless a fabricated tax balance is paid by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
Staying protected: The IRS, Social Security Administration, and Medicare never initiate unsolicited calls demanding immediate payment. Report suspected 662 scam calls to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the Mississippi Attorney General at ago.ms.gov.
662 area code: numbers and facts
- Area code 662 covers northern Mississippi — 46 counties, 134 cities, and 232 zip codes from the Tennessee border through Tupelo, Oxford, Starkville, and the Delta
- It was created on April 19, 1999 as a geographic split from area code 601; 601 was retained for central and southern Mississippi
- Ten-digit dialing is mandatory following the activation of an overlay in January 2026
- The entire territory observes Central Time — aligned with Memphis, Nashville, Chicago, and Dallas
- Major economic anchors include Toyota Blue Springs, Ashley Furniture (Ecru), North Mississippi Medical Center (Tupelo), Ole Miss (Oxford), MSU (Starkville), and Columbus Air Force Base
- The most reported 662 scam types are fake debt collection calls, Amazon account fraud, Social Security suspension robocalls, and IRS impersonation
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 662 area code?
Area code 662 is a telephone area code serving northern Mississippi. It covers 46 counties and 134 cities from the Tennessee border to the Mississippi Delta. It was created on April 19, 1999, as a geographic split from area code 601. It covers Tupelo, Southaven, Olive Branch, Oxford, Starkville, Greenville, and Clarksdale, among other communities. An overlay entered service in January 2026, making ten-digit dialing mandatory across the territory.
Where is the 662 area code located?
Area code 662 is located in northern Mississippi. Its territory starts at DeSoto County on the Tennessee border, a direct suburb of Memphis. From there it runs east through Tupelo and Lee County, then south through Oxford, Starkville, and Columbus. It also runs west through the Mississippi Delta communities of Greenville, Clarksdale, Cleveland, and Greenwood. In total it spans 46 counties and 134 cities.
What cities are in the 662 area code?
Major cities in the 662 area code include Southaven, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Oxford, Starkville, Greenville, Columbus, Clarksdale, Hernando, Corinth, Cleveland, Greenwood, and Batesville. These sit among 134 cities across 46 Mississippi counties. The three largest urban anchors are Southaven in DeSoto County, Tupelo in Lee County, and the Oxford-Starkville university corridor.
When was the 662 area code created?
Area code 662 was created on April 19, 1999, as a geographic split from area code 601. Mississippi's original single area code, 601, was assigned to the entire state in 1947. By the late 1990s, the surge in mobile phone and pager subscriptions was exhausting 601's available central office prefixes. That prompted NANPA and the Mississippi Public Service Commission to divide the state into two geographic codes.
What time zone is the 662 area code in?
Area code 662 is in the Central Time Zone. All 46 counties in the 662 territory observe Central Standard Time (UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) during daylight saving time. That is the same zone as Memphis, Nashville, Chicago, and Dallas. East Coast callers are one hour ahead. Pacific Coast callers are two hours behind.
Does 662 have an overlay?
Yes. NANPA projected central office prefix exhaustion for 662 in 2023, and an overlay was approved for the northern Mississippi territory. Network preparation began in 2025. The overlay entered service in January 2026. Ten-digit dialing is now mandatory for all calls within the 662 region, including local calls between numbers in the same city.
Can I get a 662 number for a business outside Mississippi?
Yes. Virtual phone providers and UCaaS platforms offer 662 area code numbers to businesses and individuals regardless of physical location. A virtual 662 number gives you an authentic Tupelo, Southaven, and northern Mississippi presence. It routes all calls to any device anywhere in the world. It also connects your business with Mississippi's automotive, furniture, healthcare, and university markets without a physical Mississippi office.
Is the 662 area code associated with scam calls?
Area code 662 is a legitimate telephone prefix for northern Mississippi. Even so, scammers actively spoof 662 numbers using neighbor spoofing to appear local to Mississippi residents.
The most heavily reported fraud types include fake debt collection calls using firm names like "Capital Reassurance" and "Phoenix Financial," Amazon account security fraud, Social Security suspension robocalls, and IRS impersonation. Any unsolicited call demanding immediate payment or personal information is a scam, regardless of caller ID.
