978 Area Code
Covers Lowell and nearby communities in Massachusetts.
(978) 555-0142Area code 978 map
Interactive coverage map for area code 978, centered on Lowell, Massachusetts
42.6334, -71.3162
Open in OpenStreetMapArea code 978 coverage map — centered on Lowell. Shaded area shows the approximate reach around the primary city.
Calls tagged with area code 978 come from Lowell and nearby communities in Massachusetts. It reaches roughly 462,000 people across places such as Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen and more. The region observes Eastern time, so a number like (978) 555-0142 is on that clock right now. On the ground it spans Middlesex, Essex, Worcester. It shares its territory with the overlay code 351, which sit on the exact same map. Because the 978 region uses more than one area code, you must dial all ten digits — area code included — even for a local call. You do not, however, need to dial a leading 1 for calls within the US and Canada. On this page you'll find a live local clock for Lowell, an interactive coverage map, the cities and counties 978 serves, its overlay and neighboring codes, and tips on spotting 978 spam calls.
Cities covered by 978
Cities & neighborhoods
- Lowell
- Lawrence
- Haverhill
- Methuen
- Salem
- Leominster
- Beverly
- Fitchburg
- Chelmsford
- Danvers
- Gardner
- Gloucester
- South Peabody
- Wilmington
Nearby & overlay area codes
Overlay codes (same area)
These share 978’s geography — a number in either code can be on the same street.
Neighboring codes
Codes for adjacent regions and metros.
Is a call from 978 a scam?
Area code 978 serves Lowell and the surrounding area, so most calls are ordinary local and business traffic. As everywhere, spam and robocalls do use 978 numbers, frequently by spoofing a local-looking caller ID to boost pickup rates. The area code itself tells you nothing about who is really calling, so judge the call by what's said, not the number.
Red flags to watch for
- Pressure to act right now, or threats of arrest, fines, or service being cut off.
- Requests to pay with gift cards, wire transfer, crypto, or a payment app.
- Asking for passwords, one-time codes, your SSN, or full card/bank numbers.
- A robocall or recording, or a number that won’t let you call back.
When unsure, hang up and call the organization back on a number you look up yourself.
Calling a 978 number from abroad
Every 978 number is a US/Canada +1 number. From a mobile anywhere, the simplest approach is to dial it in international format:
+1 978 555-0142If your phone can’t dial the +, replace it with your country’s exit code, then 1, then the number:
- UK, Germany, France & most of Europe
00 1 978 555-0142 - Australia
0011 1 978 555-0142 - Japan
010 1 978 555-0142 - Mexico
00 1 978 555-0142
Within the US and Canada you don’t need any of this — just dial the ten digits 978 555-0142.
Reverse phone lookup
Check any US or Canada number to see whether it's a working line, which carrier it sits on, whether it's mobile, landline or VoIP, and roughly where it's registered.
Shows carrier, line type and location. Owner name isn't available here.
Results are for personal, informational use only and may not be used for employment, credit, housing or tenant-screening decisions.
Area code 978: frequently asked questions
Where is the 978 area code located?
The 978 area code is located in Massachusetts, centered on Lowell. It covers Middlesex, Essex, Worcester and nearby communities including Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Salem, Leominster.
What time zone is 978 in?
Area code 978 is in the Eastern time zone (UTC-5 (EST) / UTC-4 (EDT)). You can see the exact current local time for Lowell on the live clock above.
What cities use area code 978?
Cities and areas that use 978 include Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Salem, Leominster. Its primary city is Lowell, MA.
Do I need to dial 1 before 978?
For calls within the US, you do not need to dial a leading 1, but you do need all ten digits: 978 plus the seven-digit number. The 978 area requires ten-digit dialing because more than one area code serves it.
Is 978 a toll-free or scam number?
No — 978 is a normal geographic area code for Lowell, not a toll-free code (toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888). A 978 number is not inherently a scam, but the code can be spoofed. See the spam-call section above for how to tell.
What are the overlay area codes for 978?
Area code 978 is overlaid by 351, meaning those codes cover the same geographic area.