Area code · Washington
Get a 253 phone number
Unlimited calling and texting.
Get a real Tacoma, WA phone number with the 253 area code, the same one carried by people across Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn. Use it for selling, dating, or work without handing out your personal line. Start in minutes.
See why thousands trust Ghost for their virtual phone number
Why choose a 253 virtual phone number?
Tacoma to Seattle without losing your number
Plenty of Tacoma residents commute up I-5 into Seattle for work. A 253 number keeps your South Sound identity intact even if your job pulls you toward downtown Seattle every day.
Kent, Renton, and Federal Way carry it too
253 isn't just Tacoma. Residents in Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn carry the same area code, so a 253 number reads as local across the whole South Sound, not just one city.
Bellevue and Kirkland lean toward 425
Cross the lake and the area code changes. Bellevue and Kirkland residents commonly carry 425, so a 253 number signals you're on the Tacoma side of the region, not the Eastside.
206 still reads as Seattle
Long-time Seattle residents mostly carry 206. Picking 253 instead sets your number apart from a Seattle downtown line while still landing solidly in the Puget Sound area.
Keep spam callers off your personal line
Unwanted robocalls and telemarketing calls are a common complaint across the Puget Sound region. Hand out a 253 Ghost number for selling or dating and keep that traffic off the line your friends and family use.
How to get a 253 phone number
- 1
Pick your area code
Choose any 253 area code, or any other US or Canadian code.
- 2
Choose your number
Pick one from the available list.
- 3
Call and text
Over Wi-Fi or data. No SIM card.
Ghost Premium is $60 every 2 months and includes 5 phone numbers, unlimited calling and texting in the US and Canada, your choice of area code, and the ability to delete and replace your number. Cancel anytime. No contracts.
Get My 253 NumberAbout the 253 area code
Area code
253
State
Washington
Overlay codes
206, 360, 425
Cities served
12+
Area code 253 covers Tacoma and the South Sound cities of Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn. Cross into Seattle or Bellevue and residents commonly carry 206 or 425 instead, while 360 is common farther out from the urban core.
The whole region runs on the America/Los_Angeles timezone, so a 253 number keeps you on the same clock as Seattle, Bellevue, and everyone else around the Sound. Because 253, 206, 360, and 425 are overlay codes layered over the same general area, picking 253 doesn't limit who you can reach.
Residents across the Puget Sound region regularly report unwanted robocalls and telemarketing calls to the FTC. Keeping a separate 253 number for selling, dating, or freelance work is a simple way to keep that kind of traffic away from the number your close contacts use.
Coverage from public numbering and census data. Sources
Local economy
Why do business in Tacoma?
Tacoma and the South Sound anchor a large slice of the wider Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro economy.
Logistics and distribution
Tacoma's location on Puget Sound and along the I-5 corridor supports shipping, warehousing, and distribution work that reaches into Kent, Auburn, and Federal Way.
Healthcare and education
Hospitals, clinics, and school systems across Tacoma, Renton, and Kent employ a steady share of South Sound workers.
Technology and professional services
Many South Sound residents commute toward tech and professional employers in Bellevue and Kirkland, while remote and hybrid work keeps a growing share of that income closer to home in Tacoma.
253 numbers by city
Frequently asked questions
How fast can I get a Tacoma, WA phone number?
You can pick a 253 number and start calling and texting in minutes, right from the Ghost app.
Can I choose a specific area code like 253?
Yes. Ghost lets you pick your area code, including 253 for Tacoma and the South Sound, or neighboring codes like 206, 360, and 425 if you'd rather match Seattle, Bellevue, or Kirkland.
Do I need a new plan to use a 253 number?
No. Ghost works as a second line in the app on the phone you already have, so your current plan stays the same and you just add a 253 number for calling and texting.
Ready for your 253 number?
Pick a 253 (or 206, 360, 425) number and start calling and texting in minutes.
Get My 253 Number