The 515 area code covers Des Moines, Ames and 95 more places in Iowa.
Area code 515 is in Iowa, on Central Time. In the 515 area, phone numbers are given out most in Polk County, then Story and Dallas counties. It has been in service since 1947.
- Where
- 8 counties in Iowa, mostly Polk County, Story County and Dallas County
- Time zone
- Central Time
- In service since
- 1947, one of the original area codes
- Shares its area with
- No other area code
- Prefixes in use
- 578
- How to dial
- Local calls need all 10 digits: 515-555-0142.
Find out who called you from a 515 number.
Enter the full 10-digit number to see who it is listed to and the city and state on the listing. It is the same free check as our who called me lookup. To see only the caller ID name on the number, use our free CNAM lookup. To see whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line, use our free VoIP checker. To see which carrier a (515) number is on today, use our free carrier lookup.
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Des Moines holds 44% of the phone prefixes in area code 515.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 578 prefixes in use shows where 515 numbers are actually given out.
- Des Moines257 prefixes, 44%
- Ames39 prefixes, 7%
- Winterset17 prefixes, 3%
- Fort Dodge14 prefixes, 2%
- Boone13 prefixes, 2%
- Pleasantville11 prefixes, 2%
- Indianola9 prefixes, 2%
- Algona8 prefixes, 1%
Also served: Webster City, Adel, Humboldt and Eagle Grove and 85 smaller places.
Qwest (Lumen) holds the most phone number prefixes in area code 515: 146 of 578.
NANPA, which runs the North American numbering plan, assigns each prefix (the three digits after the area code) to one carrier. Here is how the 578 prefixes in use in 515 divide between carriers; holders this page does not name are grouped as other carriers.
| Carrier | Prefixes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Qwest (Lumen)Lumen's landline company | 146 | 25% |
| T-MobileMobile network | 47 | 8% |
| UScellularMobile network | 44 | 8% |
| WindstreamLandline company | 38 | 7% |
| MediacomCable company's phone service | 23 | 4% |
| AT&T MobilityMobile network | 22 | 4% |
| 60 other carriers | 258 | 45% |
74% of these prefixes are pooled, which means the blocks of 1,000 numbers inside them can belong to other carriers. Any number can also have been moved to another carrier since, so this shows who holds the prefixes, not who serves a given number.
Want the carrier of one exact number? Our free carrier lookup checks it, because numbers move between carriers.
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, October 1, 2026.
515 has been split once since 1947.
1947
515 is one of the original North American area codes.
2000
On July 9, 2000, 641 splits off and takes part of the 515 area.
A 515 number on your screen can still be a scam, because caller ID is easy to fake.
- Let an unknown call go to voicemail. A real caller leaves a message; a robocaller usually does not.
- Look the number up with the box above before you call back, because calling back tells a robocaller your line is live.
- Hang up on anyone who wants gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer, or asks you to read out a code that was just texted to you.
- Report unwanted robocalls at reportfraud.ftc.gov, or paste a suspicious message into our free scam checker.
The area codes closest to 515 are 641, 712 and 319.
This list measures the distance between the centres of each area, across state lines, and shows codes that share one area together.
Iowa has 4 other area codes.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 515.
Where is area code 515?
515 covers Des Moines, Ames, Winterset and Fort Dodge and 93 more places in Iowa. In the 515 area, phone numbers are given out most in Polk County, then Story and Dallas counties.
What state is area code 515 in?
Iowa. 515 is an Iowa area code on Central Time.
What cities use area code 515?
The places holding the most 515 prefixes are Des Moines, Ames, Winterset, Fort Dodge, Boone, Pleasantville, Indianola and Algona, out of 97 places in all. The count comes from NANPA's prefix assignments as of October 1, 2026.
Which phone company owns area code 515?
No single phone company owns 515. NANPA's records show Qwest (Lumen) holds the most 515 prefixes, 146 of 578, followed by T-Mobile and UScellular. Numbers move between carriers, so check one exact number with a carrier lookup.
What time zone is area code 515 in?
515 is on Central Time.
When did area code 515 start?
515 is one of the original North American area codes, in service since 1947.
How do I dial a 515 number?
Local calls need all 10 digits: 515-555-0142.
Is 515 a toll-free number?
No. 515 is a regular area code for Des Moines and Ames in Iowa, not a toll-free one. The toll-free codes in North America are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
What area codes are near 515?
The closest are 641 (Mason City, Iowa), 712 (Sioux City, Iowa), 319 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and 507/924 (Rochester, Minnesota), measured between the centres of each area.
Who called me from a 515 number?
Enter the full 10-digit number in the lookup above. It returns the listed owner where there is a public record, where the number is registered, and whether it is a mobile, a landline or a VoIP line.
Is area code 515 a scam?
515 is a real Iowa area code, so the code itself is not a warning sign. Scam callers fake local-looking numbers on purpose, so judge the call by what the caller asks for, and look the number up before calling back.
Put this lookup on your site: our free area code widget takes two lines of code and shows any US area code's state, time zone and local time.
Source: NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator: its area code database and prefix assignments, as of October 1, 2026.