If you’ve ever spent time in Western New York, you know that people don't just live in Buffalo; they live in the 716. It’s a badge of honor. It’s on the t-shirts, it’s in the Twitter bios, and it’s tattooed on more than a few forearms from Lackawanna to Niagara Falls. But for anyone trying to set up a business or just moving into the area, the area code for Buffalo New York is actually getting a bit more crowded than it used to be.
The 716 area code is one of the originals. Back in 1947, when the North American Numbering Plan was first established, New York was only sliced into a few segments. Buffalo landed 716. At the time, it covered the entire western portion of the state. Rochester was in there. So was Corning. Even Jamestown. It was a massive footprint for a single three-digit prefix. Over the decades, as fax machines, pagers, and then cell phones exploded onto the scene, that footprint shrank. Rochester got peeled off into the 585. Eventually, 716 was narrowed down to just Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties.
It’s about identity.
When you see a 716 number pop up on your phone, you know exactly where that person is coming from. It implies a certain kind of "Buffalo Tough" mentality. It’s the sound of wings at Bar-Bill, the sight of Lake Erie's frozen mist, and the shared trauma of four consecutive Super Bowl losses. Honestly, it’s rare for a telephone prefix to carry that much emotional weight, but Buffalo is a rare kind of city.
The New Reality: Enter the 624 Area Code
For decades, if you wanted a phone number in Buffalo, you got a 716. No questions asked. But we finally hit the limit. In 2022, the New York Public Service Commission announced that the 716 was officially running out of "central office codes"—those middle three digits in a phone number.
The solution? An overlay.
Basically, instead of splitting the region geographically (which would have forced half the city to change their long-standing numbers), they decided to just drop a new code right on top of the old one. That’s where the 624 area code comes in. Since late 2023, new residents or businesses opening up shop in the Buffalo-Niagara region might find themselves assigned a 624 number.
It was a bit of a shock to the system. People in Buffalo are protective of their culture. There was this initial collective groan—nobody wanted to be the person with the "fake" Buffalo number. But the reality is that the 624 covers the exact same dirt as the 716. It covers Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, and all those surrounding suburbs.
If you're moving here now, don't be surprised if your new iPhone comes with a 624 prefix. It’s still Buffalo. You’re just part of the new guard.
Why Area Codes Still Matter for Local Business
If you’re a contractor or a lawyer in Western New York, your phone number is your digital storefront. There is a specific kind of trust that comes with a local area code. It’s subconscious.
Think about it. If you’re looking for someone to plow your driveway during a lake-effect snowstorm that’s dumped three feet of powder in four hours, are you going to call an 800 number? Probably not. You’re looking for a 716. You want to know that the guy on the other end of the line is currently digging his own truck out of a drift in West Seneca.
- Trust and Reliability: A local area code signals you are physically present.
- SEO Benefits: Google’s local search algorithms look for consistency in your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) data. Having a local prefix can help you show up in that "Map Pack" when people search for "Buffalo plumbers."
- Cultural Connection: It shows you’re part of the community, not a remote call center.
Interestingly, as the 716 numbers become harder to get, they’ve actually gained a bit of "vintage" value. Some businesses will specifically hunt for "recycled" 716 numbers through secondary markets just to maintain that old-school Buffalo street cred. It sounds crazy, but in a town this loyal, it makes sense.
Navigating the 10-Digit Dialing Shift
One of the biggest headaches with the introduction of the 624 overlay was the death of 7-digit dialing. For years, if you were calling your neighbor, you just dialed the seven numbers. Simple. Done.
Not anymore.
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Because 716 and 624 now occupy the same physical space, you must dial the full ten digits for every local call. Even if you're calling the house next door. This change actually went into effect a bit before the 624 was officially handed out, mostly to get everyone’s brain adjusted to the new system. It messed with a lot of older security systems and medical alert devices. If you have an old-school alarm system that hasn't been updated since the 90s, it might still be trying to dial 7 digits and hitting a brick wall.
The Geography of the 716 and 624
While Buffalo is the heart of it, the area code for Buffalo New York actually serves a pretty wide variety of landscapes. You've got the urban density of the Elmwood Village and the industrial bones of South Buffalo. Then you move north into Niagara Falls—a massive tourist hub where the 716 is seen by millions of visitors every year.
Go south, and things change fast. You hit the "Southern Tier." Places like Jamestown and Olean are technically in the same area code, but the vibe is completely different. It’s hilly, rural, and dominated by state parks like Allegany. Yet, the 716 prefix ties them all back to the Queen City. It’s a massive economic ecosystem.
When people search for the area code, they are often looking for specific towns. Here is the general reach of the Buffalo-Niagara numbering plan:
- Erie County: Buffalo, Amherst, Orchard Park (Go Bills), Clarence, and Grand Island.
- Niagara County: Niagara Falls, Lockport, and North Tonawanda.
- Chautauqua County: Jamestown and Dunkirk.
- Cattaraugus County: Olean and Salamanca.
- Allegany County: Mostly the western portions.
If you see a 716 or 624, it’s one of these spots. If you see a 585, you’ve drifted too far east into Rochester territory.
Technical Limitations and the Future of Numbering
Is 624 the final answer? Probably for a long time. The way these overlays work is based on "exhaust dates." The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) tracks how fast we burn through numbers. With VoIP (Voice over IP) and every teenager having a smartphone, we use numbers way faster than we did in the 70s.
However, Buffalo’s population has been relatively stable lately. We aren't seeing the explosive growth of a place like Austin or Phoenix, where they have to add new area codes every few years just to keep up. The 624 should keep Western New York covered for several decades.
One thing to keep in mind is that "location" is becoming more fluid. Because of mobile number portability, you can move to Los Angeles and keep your 716 number forever. I know people who haven't lived in New York in ten years but still rock the Buffalo area code. It’s a way of signaling where you’re from, regardless of where you are. Conversely, you might meet someone living in Allentown (the Buffalo neighborhood, not the PA city) who has a 305 area code because they moved up from Miami.
Common Misconceptions About Buffalo's Area Code
People often think area codes are tied to specific cell towers. They aren't. Your area code is tied to where the number was originally "pooled" or assigned.
Another big one: "Is 624 a toll call from a 716?"
Nope. In the era of modern telecom, the "long distance" concept is mostly dead for domestic calls anyway. Calling between 716 and 624 is considered a local call. You won't see extra charges on your bill just because you're dialing the "new" code. The only real difference is the three digits you type into the keypad.
How to Get a 716 Number Today
If you are a new business owner and you really want that 716 area code for the sake of branding, you have a few options, though it’s getting trickier:
- Request it specifically: When setting up a new line with a carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile), ask if they have any 716 numbers available. Sometimes they have "aged" numbers that have been out of circulation for 6-12 months and are ready to be reused.
- VoIP Providers: Services like Google Voice, Grasshopper, or OpenPhone often have buckets of numbers. You can search their databases for a 716 prefix.
- Number Brokers: There are actually websites where you can buy "vanity" numbers. If you want something like 716-BUFFALO (not a real available number, just an example), you’re going to pay a premium for it.
- Local Landlines: Strangely, traditional landline providers often have better access to the older 716 blocks than mobile carriers do.
Honestly, don't sweat it too much if you end up with a 624. Within five years, it will be so common that nobody will even blink. It’s just the natural evolution of a growing (or at least densifying) digital world.
Practical Steps for Western New Yorkers
If you're currently living in the region or planning a move, there are a few things you should actually do to stay ahead of the curve.
First, update your contact lists. If you still have people saved as 7-digit numbers in your phone, those calls will fail. Go through and add the +1-716 or +1-624 to everyone. It takes ten minutes but saves a lot of "Call cannot be completed as dialed" frustration.
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Second, check your business collateral. If you're a business owner, make sure your signage, business cards, and website all feature the full 10-digit number. Some old signs in South Buffalo still just show the last seven digits—that’s a relic of the past now.
Third, embrace the 624. If you're a local, don't be a snob to the new folks with the new area code. They're still your neighbors, they're still eating the same wings, and they're still shoveling the same snow.
The 716 will always be the "original," but Buffalo has always been a city that adapts. From the heyday of the Erie Canal to the modern tech corridor growth, change is the only constant. The area code is just the latest version of that story.
To stay current, keep an eye on the New York Department of Public Service website for any further updates regarding numbering plans, though things should be quiet for the foreseeable future. If you're looking to register a new business, start by checking availability with your telecom provider early in the process to secure the prefix that best fits your brand identity.