Area Code 520

About Area Code 520

Area code 520 is a geographic telephone area code assigned to Tucson, Arizona. It operates in the Mountain time zone and was first introduced in 1995. Split from 602. Southern Arizona.

Within Arizona, area code 520 shares numbering capacity with 4 other area codes. The state's 7,431,344-person population (2023 Census Bureau estimate) is served by a combined 5 active codes, with 520 primarily responsible for the Tucson region. Arizona's state capital is Phoenix, and its largest city is Phoenix.

When you receive a call from a 520 number on your Caller ID, the call originated from a phone number assigned to the 520 area code — but be aware that Local Number Portability (in effect since 2003) means the caller could be physically located anywhere in the US or Canada. Area code 520 only confirms where the number was originally assigned.

Where is the 520 area code located?

Area code 520 is assigned to Tucson, Arizona, in the Mountain time zone. The state of Arizona uses 5 active area codes, and 520 is one of them. Calls placed from the 520 area code originate from numbers assigned by NANPA — the North American Numbering Plan Administrator — and the 520 prefix appears on Caller ID for both landline and wireless calls placed from this region.

The Mountain time zone observes Daylight Saving Time, shifting from UTC-7 to UTC-6 in summer. The local time shown above is always current, so you can quickly check whether it's a reasonable hour to call back.

What cities and counties use the 520 area code?

The 520 area code serves 12 notable cities, listed below in order of population. The largest city in the 520 territory is Tucson (542,629 residents in Pima County).

• Tucson, AZ — 542,629 residents (12.3% of 520 numbers)
• Phoenix, AZ — 1,608,139 residents (36.4% of 520 numbers)
• Mesa, AZ — 511,648 residents (11.6% of 520 numbers)
• Chandler, AZ — 279,458 residents (6.3% of 520 numbers)
• Gilbert, AZ — 275,346 residents (6.2% of 520 numbers)
• Glendale, AZ — 248,715 residents (5.6% of 520 numbers)
• Scottsdale, AZ — 242,753 residents (5.5% of 520 numbers)
• Peoria, AZ — 190,985 residents (4.3% of 520 numbers)
• Tempe, AZ — 184,118 residents (4.2% of 520 numbers)
• Surprise, AZ — 143,228 residents (3.2% of 520 numbers)

Phone number format in area code 520

All phone numbers within area code 520 follow the standard North American 10-digit format:(520) NXX-XXXX. The NXX is the central office prefix (also called an "exchange") and XXXX is the subscriber line number. For long-distance calls within the NANP, dial 1 + 520 + NXX + XXXX. From outside North America, dial your country's international access code, then 1 (the NANP country code), then the 10-digit number.

If you need to verify whether a specific 520 number is wireless, landline, or VoIP, you can use our reverse phone lookup tool. Be aware that number portability means the area code no longer guarantees the caller's physical location — only where the number was first assigned.

History of area code 520

Split from 602. Southern Arizona.

The original 86 area codes were assigned by AT&T and Bell Labs in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan. At the time, rotary-dial phones meant codes with lower digits (like 212 for NYC, 213 for LA, 312 for Chicago) were given to the largest cities because they took less time to dial. Today's area code assignments still reflect those early choices, even though touch-tone and cell phones made the original reason obsolete.

Is the 520 area code safe to answer?

Area code 520 itself is a normal geographic code with no elevated spam risk. That said, scammers can spoof any area code — including 520 — so if you don't recognize the full number, let it go to voicemail and verify the caller's identity before calling back.