The area code 253 is located in Kent, Washington.
Area code 253 serves Kent, Washington and much of the South Puget Sound region. Centered between Seattle and Tacoma, Kent sits in southern King County, with 253 covering nearby communities across King and Pierce counties. The code was introduced in 1997 as a split from 206 to handle growth in the Seattle–Tacoma metro. It operates in the Pacific Time Zone and is used for landline, mobile, and VoIP phone numbers tied to local homes and businesses.
Major cities and communities served by 253 phone numbers include:
This area code also covers well-known landmarks such as the Tacoma Dome, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the Port of Tacoma, and the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup. For callers, seeing a 253 area code usually signals a connection to the South Sound—especially Kent’s busy distribution, manufacturing, and retail hubs. It works alongside neighboring Washington area codes 206 (Seattle), 425 (Eastside), and 360 (wider western Washington), helping keep regional phone service organized and local.
“Area code 253 was created in 1997 from area code 206 to serve the south Puget Sound.” — North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)
Whether you’re looking up a 253 phone number, searching for local businesses in Kent, or confirming a caller’s location, this code anchors a key part of the Seattle–Tacoma metropolitan area. Its coverage spans residential neighborhoods, military communities, waterfront cities, and growing commercial centers, making 253 a core identifier for South Puget Sound.