The area code 856 is located in Camden, New Jersey.
Area code 856 serves southwestern New Jersey, centered on the city of Camden along the Delaware River, directly across from Philadelphia. It anchors phone service across much of South Jersey and the Delaware Valley, connecting homes, schools, and businesses with local numbers. The code was established in 1999 after a split from 609 to meet growing demand for new phone numbers. Phone numbers in the 856 area code are part of the North American Numbering Plan and use the U.S. country code +1.
Major cities and towns covered by area code 856 include:
These communities span Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem counties, plus parts of Burlington County, forming a core part of the greater Philadelphia metro area. The region observes Eastern Time (ET).
Camden’s waterfront is a highlight within 856, featuring the Adventure Aquarium and the Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial, one of the most decorated battleships in U.S. Navy history. The area code also includes the Campbell Soup Company headquarters and Rutgers University–Camden, while Rowan University anchors nearby Glassboro. Neighboring area codes include 215/267/445 across the river in Philadelphia, 609/640 to the east along central and coastal New Jersey, and 302 in Delaware, which helps identify regional calling patterns.
“Area code 856 was created in 1999 as a split from 609 to serve southwestern New Jersey.” — North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)