The 220 area code is Ohio's newest overlay — added in 2015 to share the 740 territory across Newark, Zanesville, and the rest of southeastern and central Ohio, just 18 years after 740 itself split from 614. This guide covers where 220 reaches, how it compares to 740, the region's claim to the largest ancient earthworks in the world, dialing rules, and how to get a 220 business number on a full UCaaS platform.
Some overlays take decades to arrive. 220 took eighteen years. Ohio's 740 area code split from 614 in 1997, and by 2015, growth in cell phones and second lines had already run 740 short of numbers — so 220 was layered on top, covering the exact same stretch of southeastern and central Ohio from Newark and Zanesville down through Portsmouth and Steubenville. For a business, that recent overlay status means a 220 business number is genuinely new inventory in a region with deep roots.
Whether you just missed a call from this code, you are researching where is 220 area code before opening an Ohio location, or you are ready to set up a 220 UCaaS business number that turns inbound calls into customers, this guide covers the coverage area, how 220 compares to 740, the region's claim to the largest ancient earthworks on the planet, dialing rules, and exactly how to get a 220 number backed by a complete unified-communications platform.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Ohio |
| Region | Southeastern and central Ohio |
| Major cities | Newark, Zanesville, Newcomerstown, Pataskala, Portsmouth, Steubenville, Washington Court House |
| Parent code | 740 (split from 614 in 1997) |
| In service since | 2015 — overlay added once 740 ran short of numbers |
| Overlay relationship | 220 and 740 share the exact same territory |
| Time zone | Eastern Time (ET) |
| Country | United States (220 area code USA) |
The "in service since 2015" row tells the real story: 220 is one of the youngest overlay codes covered in this series, arriving barely a generation after its parent code. For a business, that recency means 220 numbers are fresh, uncluttered inventory paired with a region that has centuries of history behind it.
The 220 area code covers a broad stretch of southeastern and central Ohio: Newark and Zanesville near the center, Newcomerstown and Steubenville toward the eastern Ohio River valley, Portsmouth down along the river to the south, and Washington Court House and Pataskala on the western edge of the territory. It is a mostly rural and small-city footprint bridging Columbus's outer suburbs and Ohio's Appalachian foothills.
One clarification worth stating plainly: the searches for 220 area code Africa are unrelated — that is Egypt's international dialing code, a different numbering system entirely. As a US area code, 220 area code usa is the correct context, and it has only ever served this part of Ohio.
Southeastern and central Ohio was originally part of the broad 614 area code. As Columbus and the surrounding region grew, 740 split off in 1997 to cover the less-dense counties outside the capital, including Newark and Zanesville. Unlike 218's 75-year run in Minnesota, 740's standalone run was comparatively short: by the early 2010s, exhaust studies already showed the code running low, and 220 went into service in 2015 as an overlay covering the identical 740 territory.
Because it is an overlay rather than a second split, every city that had a 740 number kept it — 220 simply gives the region a second option for new lines, and 10-digit dialing became mandatory across the whole territory as a result.
| Code | Origin | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 614 | Original Columbus-area code | Once covered the wider central Ohio region |
| 740 | 1997 split from 614 | Southeastern and central Ohio outside Columbus |
| 220 | 2015 overlay | Layered on the same 740 territory once it ran short |
Because 220 and 740 are overlays covering one identical territory, they work exactly the same on the network — there is no coverage difference to weigh, the same way an overlay pair like Cleveland's 216 area code and its own overlay work identically for callers on the other side of Ohio. The real question for a business is availability and preference:
For most businesses, the practical answer is to let your provider search live inventory in both codes and pick whichever has the best available number for your business — the 220 vs. 740 decision rarely changes the customer experience.
The 220 area code time zone is Eastern Time — EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) during daylight saving, the same clock as Columbus, Cleveland, and the rest of Ohio.
Because 220 and 740 share one territory, seven-digit dialing has not worked anywhere in the region since the overlay went into service — every local call, even between two Newark numbers, needs the full 10 digits.
A local 220 phone number puts a business inside one of Ohio's freshest number pools while still reading as a genuine southeastern-Ohio presence. On a modern UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platform, that number ships as a complete business phone system — voice, SMS, auto-attendant, voicemail-to-email, call routing, and analytics — not a bare line, so every inbound call has a real chance of converting.
The 220/740 region holds a genuinely singular distinction: Newark is home to the Newark Earthworks, the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures anywhere in the world, built by the Hopewell culture roughly 2,000 years ago. In 2023, the Earthworks were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List — the first and only UNESCO site in the state of Ohio.
The Great Circle alone encloses 30 acres behind a continuous earthen wall, and the complex's geometry aligns precisely with the sun and the 18.6-year lunar cycle. For a region otherwise known for small-city and rural business, that kind of landmark draws steady visitor traffic — one more reason a recognizable local 220 phone number pays off for any business serving Newark and the surrounding area.
The 220 area code is Ohio's newest overlay — added in 2015, just eighteen years after 740 split from 614, to cover the same stretch of southeastern and central Ohio running from Newark and Zanesville down to the Ohio River. It is also home to the largest ancient earthworks on the planet, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that gives the region a genuinely singular identity.
For any business serving Newark, Zanesville, or the wider 220/740 territory, a 220 business number on a full UCaaS platform is a clear local signal backed by enterprise phone features and lead-ready call handling, with no physical Ohio office required.
The 220 area code covers southeastern and central Ohio — Newark, Zanesville, Newcomerstown, Pataskala, Portsmouth, Steubenville, and Washington Court House. It operates on Eastern Time. The "220 area code Africa" search refers to a different system entirely — Egypt's international dialing code — not this US area code.
There is no geographic difference — 220 and 740 are overlay codes covering the exact same southeastern and central Ohio territory. 740 split from 614 in 1997, and 220 was added in 2015 as an overlay once 740 ran short of numbers. Every local call requires 10-digit dialing as a result.
The 220 area code operates in the Eastern Time Zone — EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) during daylight saving, the same clock as Columbus and Cleveland.
The Newark Earthworks, located in the 220/740 area code region, are the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures in the world, built by the Hopewell culture roughly 2,000 years ago. In 2023 they were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List — the only UNESCO site in Ohio.
Both cover identical territory and carry identical features on a UCaaS platform. Choose 740 if long-standing local recognition matters most, or 220 if you want access to newer, less-allocated number inventory — most providers can search both and recommend the best available option.
Yes. Through a virtual VoIP and UCaaS provider, you can get a 220 number and run it from anywhere, forwarding calls to any device with a full business phone system behind it — auto-attendant, call routing, voicemail-to-email, SMS, and analytics — no physical Ohio office required.
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