Area code 804 — Richmond, Virginia

Where is area code 804?

Area code 804 is in Richmond, Virginia, covering Richmond and surrounding communities in Virginia. All 804 numbers are on Eastern Time.

Is area code 804 a scam?

No. Area code 804 is a legitimate area code serving Richmond since 1973. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 804 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 804 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Richmond that has nothing to do with the call.

• ·Area code 804 had 1,320 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.
• ·Area code 804 ranks 10th of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
• ·Of the 1,439 complaints about area code 804 in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, 78% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
• ·The most reported subject on area code 804 is reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans), appearing in 30% 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 804 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 804?

Texts from 804 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.

Who works in the Richmond area?

Richmond is Virginia's capital and one of the quieter corporate headquarters towns in the country. Dominion Energy, Altria, CarMax, Markel, and Performance Food Group are all based in the metro, and the city hosts a Federal Reserve Bank, which anchors a deep bench of banking, law, and insurance work. State government adds its own payroll, and VCU and its health system are the city's largest employer. Manufacturing along the James River and logistics tied to the Port of Virginia's inland terminal round out an economy that is diversified enough to ride out most cycles. Richmond's employed population was 123,722 in 2024, with median household income of $64,587, per DataUSA.

Who lives in the 804 region

The city is almost evenly split between White and Black residents, 94.9k and 93k respectively in 2024 per DataUSA, and that balance shapes civic and commercial life in ways few other Southern capitals share. Median age was 34.7, pulled down by VCU's students and a steady inflow of young professionals priced out of D.C. Median property value hit $353,000 in 2024, up 7.59% in a year, and the 43.5% homeownership rate reflects a tight, renter-heavy urban core surrounded by suburban counties where most of the metro's buying power actually lives.

What an 804 number signals to a caller

Area code 804 has served the Richmond region since 1973, when it split from 703, and later splits trimmed it down to the metro and its surroundings. It is one of the older continuous identities in Virginia telecom, and established firms treat their 804 numbers as part of the letterhead. Callers describe Richmond as formal by Southern standards, a city where old institutions still set the tone, and business is generally expected to be conducted with polish. Outside callers do better sounding prepared than sounding friendly.

Questions