Scranton, Pennsylvania — the city The Office made famous — shares its telephone identity with coal-country valleys, Pocono ski resorts, and the Little League capital of Williamsport. That identity starts with three digits: 570.
The 570 area code covers northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania, from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre up to the New York border and west to Williamsport. If a 570 number called you, or you’re establishing a local presence anywhere in the Poconos corridor, this guide covers the full story: every major city, the time zone, the 1998 split from 717, the 272 overlay, dialing rules, and scam safety.
570 Area Code at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Region | Northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania |
| Anchor cities | Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport |
| Created | December 5, 1998 |
| Split from | 717 area code |
| Overlay | 272 (added 2013) |
| Time zone | Eastern Time (UTC−5 standard / UTC−4 daylight) |
| Dialing | 10-digit mandatory for all local calls |
| Area | Approximately 14,000 square miles, ~15–22 counties |
Where Is the 570 Area Code Located?
The 570 area code covers the northeast quadrant of Pennsylvania — a vast, geographically striking territory of roughly 14,000 square miles spanning 15 to 22 counties (depending on the source’s county-boundary methodology). It runs from the former anthracite coal cities of the Wyoming Valley across the Pocono Mountains’ ski slopes and lake communities, up to the New York border, and west through river valleys to Lock Haven.
Cities in the 570 Area Code
Major cities and towns include:
- Scranton — the largest city in the code, Lackawanna County seat, former coal capital reinventing itself around healthcare, education, and distribution.
- Wilkes-Barre — the Wyoming Valley’s historic center, Luzerne County seat, with a growing downtown and university presence.
- Williamsport — home of the Little League World Series and Lycoming County seat.
- Hazleton — a logistics and distribution corridor city in southern Luzerne County.
- Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg — the Pocono Mountains’ commercial gateways.
- Bloomsburg — home to Bloomsburg University in Columbia County.
- Pittston — the “Quality Tomato Capital” on the Susquehanna between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.
- Pottsville — southern gateway city in Schuylkill County coal country.
- Carbondale, Clarks Summit, Towanda, Sayre, Tunkhannock, Berwick, Milford, Montrose, Honesdale, Pocono Pines, Nanticoke, Tamaqua, Mahanoy City, Sunbury, Jim Thorpe, Dallas, and Shavertown — smaller communities completing the footprint, stretching as far south as Pottsville and as far west as Lock Haven.
The region blends urban centers, mountain resorts, college towns, and rural valleys — one of the most varied landscapes served by a single Pennsylvania area code.
History of the 570 Area Code
The 717 area code was one of the original North American area codes assigned in 1947, covering the entire central portion of Pennsylvania. By the late 1990s, population growth and the same mobile-phone, fax, and pager boom hitting the rest of the country had exhausted its number supply.
Regulators split the territory. On December 5, 1998, the 570 area code went into service for the northern portion — Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, and the Poconos — while Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York stayed in 717. It was the first new Pennsylvania area code outside Philadelphia and Pittsburgh since the NANP launched.
Growth continued, and this time regulators chose a different tool. In 2013, area code 272 was added as a full overlay across the entire 570 footprint. Existing 570 numbers didn’t change, new lines could receive either prefix, and ten-digit dialing became mandatory for every local call in the region.
What Time Zone Is the 570 Area Code?
The entire 570/272 territory operates in the Eastern Time Zone (ET):
- Winter (early November – mid-March): Eastern Standard Time (EST), UTC−5
- Summer (mid-March – early November): Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC−4
Practical offsets:
| Your time zone | 570 (Eastern) is… |
|---|---|
| Central (CT) | 1 hour ahead |
| Mountain (MT) | 2 hours ahead |
| Pacific (PT) | 3 hours ahead |
Scranton keeps the same clock as New York City, Philadelphia, and the entire Eastern Seaboard — convenient for the region’s many commuters and businesses tied to the New York and Philadelphia metros.
How to Dial a 570 Number
Because of the 272 overlay, ten-digit dialing is mandatory:
- Local calls within 570/272: Always dial 10 digits — 570 or 272 + the 7-digit number.
- Long-distance calls from elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada: Dial 1 + 570 + the 7-digit number.
- International calls: Dial your country’s exit code, then 1 + 570 + the 7-digit number. From most countries:
+1 570 XXX XXXX. - Toll-free: 570 is not a toll-free code. It’s a standard geographic area code; normal long-distance or plan rates apply.
A 272 number and a 570 number carry equal local authority in northeastern Pennsylvania — the prefix only reflects when the number was assigned. Virtual phone providers can assign 570 numbers anywhere, popular with Poconos vacation-rental businesses and Scranton-area companies.
Is the 570 Area Code a Scam?
No — 570 is a legitimate area code serving the real communities of northeastern Pennsylvania. But like every U.S. code, 570 numbers get spoofed by scammers running “neighbor spoofing” schemes that display a local-looking number to boost answer rates.
Scams reported from spoofed 570 numbers include:
- Student loan and debt relief scams targeting the region’s college towns.
- Utility shutoff scams threatening winter disconnections — especially cruel in the Poconos.
- Home repair and storm-chasing scams after severe mountain weather.
- Timeshare and vacation-rental scams exploiting Pocono tourism.
- IRS impersonation demanding immediate payment.
Stay safe:
- Don’t trust caller ID alone — scammers can display any 570 number.
- Never give personal or financial information to unexpected callers.
- Hang up and call back using the organization’s official published number.
- Be skeptical of urgency — real agencies don’t demand instant payment by gift card or wire.
- Report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
570 Area Code FAQs
What cities are in the 570 area code?
Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, Hazleton, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg, Bloomsburg, Pittston, Pottsville, Carbondale, and dozens of smaller communities across northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania — roughly 14,000 square miles.
What time zone is the 570 area code?
Eastern Time. The region observes Eastern Standard Time (UTC−5) in winter and Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4) during daylight saving — the same clock as New York City and Philadelphia.
When was the 570 area code created?
Area code 570 was created on December 5, 1998, in a split of the 717 area code — one of the original 1947 NANP codes that had served all of central Pennsylvania.
What is the 272 area code and how does it relate to 570?
Area code 272 is a full overlay introduced in 2013 across the same footprint as 570. Both prefixes serve every city and county in the territory simultaneously, and ten-digit dialing is required for all local calls.
Is the 570 area code toll-free?
No. 570 is a standard geographic area code for Pennsylvania. Toll-free numbers use prefixes like 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833 — not 570.
Can I get a 570 phone number if I don’t live in Pennsylvania?
Yes. VoIP and virtual phone providers can assign a 570 number that routes to any device, anywhere — no Pennsylvania address required.
Conclusion
The 570 area code has defined northeastern Pennsylvania’s telephone identity since December 1998, when it split from the original 717 code — and since 2013 it has shared the map with the 272 overlay. From Scranton’s post-coal reinvention to the Pocono resorts and Williamsport’s Little League legacy, it runs on Eastern Time and requires ten-digit dialing.
Whether you’re screening a 570 call, building a local presence in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre market, or mapping Pennsylvania’s area codes, you now know exactly where 570 reaches, how it was created, and how to dial it. Bookmark this guide for the next unfamiliar 570 number on your screen.