The 861 area code covers the same area as 309, including Peoria, Bloomington and 157 more places in Illinois.
Area code 861 is in Illinois, on Central Time. In the 861 area, phone numbers are given out most in Peoria County, then McLean and Rock Island counties. It has been in service since February 24, 2023. 309 covers the same area, so two neighbours can have different area codes.
- Where
- 8 counties in Illinois, mostly Peoria County, McLean County and Rock Island County
- Time zone
- Central Time
- In service since
- February 24, 2023
- Shares its area with
- 309 (since 1957)
- Prefixes in use
- 7
- How to dial
- Local calls need all 10 digits: 861-555-0142.
Find out who called you from an 861 number.
Enter the full 10-digit number to see who it is listed to, the city and state on the listing, and whether it is a mobile, landline or VoIP line. 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.
Peoria holds 57% of the phone prefixes in area code 861.
A prefix is the three digits after the area code, and NANPA assigns each one to a town. Counting the 7 prefixes in use shows where 861 numbers are actually given out.
- Peoria4 prefixes, 57%
- Pekin1 prefix, 14%
- Rock Island1 prefix, 14%
- Moline1 prefix, 14%
Also served: Canton, Kewanee, Morton and Monmouth and 147 smaller places.
Each prefix, or block of 1,000 numbers inside it, is also handed to a carrier. A number keeps its digits when its owner switches carrier, so the prefix no longer tells you who carries it today. Our free carrier lookup shows which carrier an 861 number is on now.
861 started in 2023 as an overlay on 309, and its ground has not changed since.
2023
861 starts on February 24, 2023, as an overlay on 309: new numbers on the same ground.
An 861 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 861 are 217, 815 and 630.
This list measures the distance between the centres of each area, across state lines, and shows codes that share one area together.
These are the questions people ask most about area code 861.
Where is area code 861?
861 covers Peoria, Bloomington, Rock Island and Macomb and 155 more places in Illinois. In the 861 area, phone numbers are given out most in Peoria County, then McLean and Rock Island counties.
What state is area code 861 in?
Illinois. 861 is an Illinois area code on Central Time.
What cities use area code 861?
The places holding the most 861 prefixes are Peoria, Bloomington, Rock Island, Macomb, Galesburg, Pekin, Moline and East Moline, out of 159 places in all. The count comes from NANPA's prefix assignments as of October 1, 2026.
What time zone is area code 861 in?
861 is on Central Time.
When did area code 861 start?
861 went into service on February 24, 2023, as an overlay on 309: new numbers for the same area.
Is 861 the same area as 309?
Yes. 309 (since 1957) covers the same ground as 861. Nobody's number changed when it was added; new lines simply get whichever code has numbers left, so two neighbours can have different codes.
How do I dial an 861 number?
Local calls need all 10 digits: 861-555-0142.
Is 861 a toll-free number?
No. 861 is a regular area code for Peoria and Bloomington in Illinois, 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 861?
The closest are 217/447 (Springfield, Illinois), 815/779 (Rockford, Illinois), 630/331 (Roselle, Illinois) and 319 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), measured between the centres of each area.
Who called me from an 861 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 861 a scam?
861 is a real Illinois 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.
Source: NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator: its area code database and prefix assignments, as of October 1, 2026.