Area code 571 — Arlington, Virginia

Where is area code 571?

Area code 571 is in Arlington, Virginia, covering Arlington and surrounding communities in Virginia. All 571 numbers are on Eastern Time.

Is area code 571 a scam?

No. Area code 571 is a legitimate area code serving Arlington since 2000. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 571 numbers, which is why complaints exist against a code that is itself genuine.

Neighbour spoofing is the reason a local-looking number is not a guarantee. A caller anywhere in the world can display a 571 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Arlington that has nothing to do with the call.

• ·Area code 571 had 446 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.
• ·Area code 571 ranks 156th of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
• ·Of the 484 complaints about area code 571 in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, 53% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
• ·The most reported subject on area code 571 is calls pretending to be government, businesses, or family and friends, appearing in 13% of its complaints in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.

What these calls were about

Each figure is that subject’s share of every 571 complaint in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, as categorised by the consumer who reported it.

Businesses can prevent their own numbers from being mistaken for calls like these.

Why am I getting text messages from area code 571?

Texts from 571 numbers follow the same pattern as calls — mostly local businesses and services. Treat any text asking for payment or credentials as suspect regardless of the code.

The common patterns are a wrong-number opener that turns into conversation, an unsolicited job offer, and a crypto or investment tip. Do not reply, do not follow the link, and forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your carrier.

Area codes that overlay 571

Area code 571 shares its geographic footprint with one other code: 703. Overlays are laid over an existing area rather than splitting it, so all local calls require the full ten-digit number.

Who works in the Arlington area?

Area code 571 is the overlay added to Northern Virginia in 2000 when 703 ran out of numbers, and it covers the same ground, including Arlington. The economy here is the federal government and everything that orbits it. The Pentagon sits in Arlington, and consulting, defense contracting, and cybersecurity firms fill the office corridors of Crystal City, Rosslyn, and Ballston. Amazon chose Arlington for its HQ2, adding a major tech anchor to a market already dense with government IT. Per Data USA, Arlington held 236,254 people in 2024 with a median household income of $142,114, among the highest of any US county.

Who lives in the 571 region

The workforce is credentialed and transient. Security clearances, advanced degrees, and short tenures between agencies and contractors define the labor market. In 2024, 22.3 percent of Arlington residents were born outside the United States, per Data USA, and the county's rental share is high, with homeownership at 41.3 percent. People move here for a posting or a contract and often move on.

What a 571 number signals to a caller

Because 571 arrived decades after 703, some callers read a 703 number as the older Northern Virginia credential and a 571 number as the newer arrival, though both cover identical territory in Virginia. Callers describe phone conventions as formal and calendar-driven. Cold calls to government and contractor offices generally go to voicemail, and scheduled calls start on time.

Questions