Introduction
The 937 area code covers much of southwestern Ohio, including Dayton and Springfield. It was created on September 28, 1996, in a split from area code 513, and since March 2020 it has shared its territory with a second code, 326.
Maybe a 937 number just called you, or you need a phone number that Dayton-area customers will recognize. This guide covers the communities and counties in 937, its time zone, the 326 overlay, why 937 is neither a country code nor a ZIP code, and how to vet an unknown call before returning it.
- Area code 937 serves Dayton, Springfield and most of southwest Ohio north and east of the Cincinnati area, across all or parts of 20 counties.
- It was split from 513 on September 28, 1996; Cincinnati kept 513.
- Area code 326 overlays 937. Seven-digit dialing ended February 8, 2020, and 326 was activated in March 2020.
- The region is on Eastern Time. Dialed from abroad, its numbers start +1 937, because 937 identifies an area within country code 1.
Where Is the 937 Area Code?
Area code 937 is in the southwestern part of Ohio, in the United States. Its territory takes in Dayton and its metropolitan area, Springfield, and most of southwest Ohio north and east of the Cincinnati metropolitan area, including a few of Cincinnati's outer eastern suburbs. Public phone service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base also uses 937, as distinct from the base's Defense Switched Network lines.
Cincinnati itself is not a 937 city. When the old 513 region was divided in 1996, its eastern and northern portions, Dayton among them, received the new code, while Cincinnati stayed with 513. In central Ohio, Columbus uses the 614 area code and its 380 overlay.
The area code 937 location is Ohio alone; the code is not used in California or any other state.
Cities and Counties in the 937 Area Code
The 937 area code includes the 30 communities below, each with more than 10,000 residents in 2019 or serving as a county seat, and all or part of 20 counties.
| Group | Places in the 937 area code |
|---|---|
| Communities (over 10,000 residents in 2019, or a county seat) | Beavercreek, Bellefontaine, Centerville, Clayton, Dayton, Eaton, Englewood, Fairborn, Franklin, Georgetown, Greenville, Hillsboro, Huber Heights, Kettering, Marysville, Miamisburg, Piqua, Riverside, Sidney, Springboro, Springfield, Tipp City, Trotwood, Troy, Urbana, Vandalia, West Carrollton, West Union, Wilmington, Xenia |
| Counties (all or part) | Adams, Brown, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hardin, Highland, Logan, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union, Warren |
Because some of those counties are split with neighboring codes, a county name alone won't tell you a number's area code. Near Cincinnati, for instance, only a few outer eastern suburbs are in 937, so check the specific number before assuming.
937 Area Code Time Zone (Eastern Time)
The 937 area code is on Eastern Time, like the rest of Ohio. Eastern Standard Time is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5). During daylight saving time, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, the region runs on Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4).
Callers on the West Coast should add three hours: 4 p.m. Pacific Time is 7 p.m. in Dayton, so plan callbacks to 937 numbers earlier in the day.
937 and 326: The Overlay Code
Two decades after the split, 937 was running short of numbers. In April 2018, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) projected that the area's central office codes, the three-digit prefixes after the area code, would run out by the third quarter of 2020. On July 3, 2018, area code 326 was planned as an overlay for the same territory.
The change arrived in stages. Starting August 10, 2019, callers were encouraged to practice ten-digit dialing on local calls. Seven-digit dialing ended on February 8, 2020, and 326 was activated a month later, in March 2020.
Both codes spell something on a phone keypad. The digits 937 spell "YES," which promotional material for the new code used in 1996, and 326 spells "DAO," as in DAyton, Ohio.
An overlay does not renumber anyone: existing 937 numbers kept their code, and 326 goes to new assignments in the same area. Two neighbors can therefore have different area codes, which is why every local call now includes one.
Is 937 a Country Code? What That Search Really Means
937 is not a country code. It is an area code inside the North American Numbering Plan, where the United States, Canada and a number of Caribbean territories all share country code 1. A Dayton number dialed from abroad therefore starts with +1, then 937, then the local seven digits.
A "937 country code" search often starts with a number shown as +1 937. The +1 identifies the country; 937 narrows the call to southwestern Ohio.
The real country code that looks most like it is +93, which belongs to Afghanistan. An international number written +93 followed by more digits is Afghan, while a number whose digits after the plus sign are 1 937 is a US number.
937 Area Code vs ZIP Codes
A 937 ZIP code does not exist, because area codes and ZIP Codes belong to two unrelated systems. Area codes route telephone calls, while ZIP Codes are how the US Postal Service sorts mail, and their boundaries were drawn separately. Spread over 20 counties, the 937 region contains many ZIP Codes.
For a mailing address in Dayton, Xenia or Troy, the USPS ZIP Code lookup can find the ZIP Code for a street address, list the ZIP Codes for a city and state, or show the cities that share a ZIP Code. On a form that asks for both, the ZIP Code belongs in the address and the full ten-digit number, starting with 937 or 326, in the phone field.
How to Tell If a Call From 937 Is Legitimate
Seeing 937 on the screen tells you the number was assigned in southwestern Ohio, and nothing more. Caller ID can be faked: the FTC says scammers can display any name or number, a trick called spoofing, so even a familiar Dayton prefix does not prove who is on the line.
| What happens on the call | What to do |
|---|---|
| An unknown number you weren't expecting | Let it go to voicemail; a caller with a real reason can leave a message. |
| Pressure to act or pay today | Slow down. The FTC says real businesses give you time to decide. |
| A demand for cryptocurrency, gift cards, a payment app or a wire transfer | Hang up. The FTC says only scammers insist on those methods. |
| A request for your Social Security number or a code sent to your phone | Don't share it. Government agencies don't call unexpectedly for sensitive details, and one-time codes are private. |
| A recording that says to press a key to reach a person or leave a list | Hang up without pressing anything; the FTC warns it can bring more robocalls. |
If a caller claims to represent your bank, an Ohio utility or a government agency, hang up and call the organization back on a number from your statement or its website. Report scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and unwanted calls that cost you nothing through DoNotCall.gov.
To block repeat calls on an iPhone, go to Recents, tap the number or its Info button, scroll down and choose Block Caller. Android phones running the Phone by Google app block from the call history: tap the call, then select Block / report spam. Our guide on how to track down a phone number covers ways to learn more before you decide.
How to Dial a 937 Phone Number
Inside the 937 and 326 region, local calls take ten digits: the area code plus the seven-digit number. That has been the rule since February 8, 2020, when seven-digit dialing ended ahead of the 326 launch, so a call from one Kettering home to another still starts with the area code.
- Local call in the region: 937 or 326, followed by the seven-digit number.
- Long-distance call from elsewhere in North America: 1, then 937, then the seven-digit number.
- From outside North America: use + on a mobile phone or your country's exit code on a landline, then 1 937 and the local number.
Stored numbers are where old habits cause trouble. Any phone contact, speed-dial list or alarm system still holding a seven-digit local number needs the area code added, because seven-digit calls in the region no longer connect.
How to Get a 937 Phone Number for Your Business
A 937 number gives customers in Dayton, Springfield and nearby counties a local number to call, and with a cloud phone system it can ring wherever your staff works. Setup takes four steps:
- 1Pick 937 for the Dayton and Springfield region; its 326 overlay serves the same territory, so either code is local there.
- 2Choose an available number that is easy to say aloud and to read on a business card.
- 3Add an auto attendant to greet and route callers, and forward calls to the mobile and desktop apps.
- 4Bring over the number you use today, so printed materials and saved contacts keep working.
Ringflow provides local numbers in Ohio area codes, 937 among them, and its US area code directory covers the rest of the country. Greet callers with an auto attendant, send calls to Ringflow's desktop and phone apps, text customers from that line, or port an existing number, and try it all with a free trial.
Conclusion
Area code 937 is southwestern Ohio's code for Dayton, Springfield and the communities around them, created from 513 in 1996 and paired with the 326 overlay since 2020. It runs on Eastern Time, needs ten digits for every local call, and has nothing to do with country codes or ZIP Codes.
Judge an unfamiliar 937 call by what the caller asks for, not by its area code. For a business that wants a number the region recognizes, Ringflow can set up a 937 line with an auto attendant and app-based forwarding, or move your current number over, starting with a free trial.
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Ringflow sets up local Ohio numbers, including 937, with an auto attendant and calls that follow you to your desktop and phone. Try it free, or bring your current number over.
FAQ
The 937 area code is in southwestern Ohio. It serves Dayton and its metropolitan area, Springfield, and most of southwest Ohio north and east of the Cincinnati area, across all or parts of 20 counties.
937 is on Eastern Time. It uses Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) outside daylight saving time and Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Area code 326 overlays 937 and covers the same territory. Seven-digit dialing ended on February 8, 2020, and 326 was activated in March 2020, so local calls in the region use ten digits.
No. 937 is an area code in the North American Numbering Plan, so an international call to a 937 number begins +1 937. The real country code closest to it is +93, which is Afghanistan's.
A 937 number is not spam by itself; it simply means the line was assigned in southwestern Ohio. Scammers can spoof caller ID, so don't give payment or personal information to an unexpected caller, and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov if one tries.
Pick a provider with Ohio numbers, choose an available 937 number and decide how calls are answered. Ringflow includes an auto attendant, forwarding to mobile and desktop apps and number porting, and you can try it free.
