Madison, WI Area Codes

Area codes serving Madison

Madison sits in Wisconsin, part of the Midwest region and the Central Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 353, 608.

The original code is 608 (in service since 1955). As the area ran low on numbers, regulators added overlay codes on top instead of splitting the city, so longtime residents kept their numbers while new lines received a newer code.

Code	Area served	In service
353	Southwestern and south-central Wisconsin, including Madison, La Crosse and Janesville	September 15, 2023
608	Southwestern and south-central Wisconsin, including Madison, La Crosse and Janesville	January 1, 1955

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Janesville
• La Crosse
• Beloit
• Sun Prairie
• Fitchburg
• Middleton
• Verona
• Stoughton
• Baraboo
• Monroe
• Platteville
• Tomah
• Portage

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Madison, the carrier assigns whichever code has numbers available — you usually can't choose. If a specific code matters to you (for example the prestige of 608), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Madison

Because Madison is an overlay area, 10-digit dialing is mandatory: always dial the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a neighbor. See 10-digit dialing and overlay area codes for the background. For every code in Wisconsin, visit the Wisconsin area codes page.