---
title: "Area code 270: Kentucky, United States"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/270.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/area-code/270"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "reference"
summary: "Area code 270 serves Kentucky, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Kentucky."
---

# Area code 270: Kentucky, United States

Area code 270 serves Kentucky, United States. Number formats, numbering rules, a live phone validator and the other codes in Kentucky.

NANPA lists 768 central office codes (prefixes) in use in area code 270, held by 45 holders across 171 rate centers.
South Central Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 152 (20%). 78% of the prefixes are pooled, which means their thousands-blocks can belong to different companies.
The FCC unwanted-call data has 2,518 complaints on file for 1,889 numbers in 270, most often filed as "Unwanted Calls". These are consumer reports, not findings.

## Facts

- In service since: 1999-04-19
- Time zone: EC
- Assigned overlays: 364 (2014-03-03)
- Prefixes in use: 768
- Pooled prefixes: 599 (78%)
- Rate centers: 171
- Companies holding prefixes: 45
- Assignment dates on file: 2001-01-08 to 2026-02-19 (281 prefixes)
- ZIP codes in its places: 119

## Rate centers

| Rate center | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OWENSBORO | 42 | 5% |
| BOWLNGGREN | 41 | 5% |
| PADUCAH | 37 | 5% |
| ELIZABTHTN | 31 | 4% |
| MADISONVL | 25 | 3% |
| HENDERSON | 23 | 3% |
| HOPKINSVL | 21 | 3% |
| MURRAY | 18 | 2% |
| 163 other rate centers | 530 | 69% |

## Carriers

| Holder | Prefixes | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| South Central Bell Tel | 152 | 20% |
| Onvoy | 110 | 14% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS | 98 | 13% |
| Level 3 Communications | 63 | 8% |
| Verizon Wireless | 57 | 7% |
| Windstream Kentucky East, INC. - Lexington | 41 | 5% |
| 39 other carriers | 247 | 32% |

A prefix holder is the company a code was assigned to, not necessarily a number's current carrier, because numbers can be ported to another company.

## History

- 1947-01-01: Area code 502, named as the parent of 270 in the NANPA report, was in service.
- 1999-04-19: Area code 270 went into service.
- 2014-03-03: Area code 364 went into service as an overlay in the same area as 270.

## Nearest area codes

The area codes closest to 270, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 615 (about 79 miles), 629 (about 79 miles), 930 (about 97 miles), 812 (about 100 miles) and 931 (about 116 miles).

## ZIP codes

119 ZIP codes fall in places that have a rate center in this area code. The places with the most are Owensboro, KY (4 ZIP codes), Paducah, KY (3 ZIP codes) and Franklin, KY (2 ZIP codes). A ZIP code and an area code are unrelated systems, so a ZIP code can sit in more than one area code and an area code spans many ZIP codes.

## Complaints on file

2,518 complaints for 1,889 numbers. Numbers whose latest complaint falls in each year:

- 2023: 139
- 2024: 68
- 2025: 120

## Questions

### Where is area code 270?

NANPA assigns area code 270 to Kentucky, United States.

### In which state does area code 270 sit?

Kentucky. 270 is one of 5 area codes the NANPA table assigns to the state.

### Which places does area code 270 cover?

The places with the most ZIP codes among the rate centers in 270 are Owensboro, KY, Paducah, KY and Franklin, KY. The rate center list on this page shows all of them.

### Who owns area code 270?

NANPA assigns area codes. Within 270, South Central Bell Tel holds the most prefixes, 152 prefixes or 20%.

### Which time zone does 270 use?

The NANPA NPA report lists the time zone for 270 as EC.

### What year did 270 enter service?

The NANPA NPA report gives an in-service date of 1999-04-19, so 270 has been in use since 1999.

### Does area code 270 have an overlay?

Yes. 364 (in service 2014-03-03) shares the same area with 270, so numbers from all of them are local to each other.

### Which area codes are nearest to 270?

The area codes closest to 270, measured between the centers of the ZIP code places they serve, are 615 (about 79 miles), 629 (about 79 miles), 930 (about 97 miles), 812 (about 100 miles) and 931 (about 116 miles).

### How many prefixes does area code 270 have?

NANPA's report dated 2026-10-17 lists 768 prefixes in service in 270, spread over 171 rate centers and 45 holders.

### Are there complaints about 270 numbers?

The FCC data on file has 2,518 complaints for 1,889 numbers in 270. They are unverified consumer reports. A number with no complaints on file is not proven safe.

Sources: NANPA central office code report dated 2026-10-17; NANPA NPA report dated 2026-10-18; FCC unwanted-call complaints, data fetched 2026-10-17; ZIP code places from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).