Area code 973 — Newark, New Jersey

Where is area code 973?

Area code 973 is in Newark, New Jersey, covering Newark and surrounding communities in New Jersey. All 973 numbers are on Eastern Time.

Is area code 973 a scam?

No. Area code 973 is a legitimate area code serving Newark since 1997. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 973 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 973 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Newark that has nothing to do with the call.

• ·Area code 973 had 410 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 28 July 2026.
• ·Area code 973 ranks 171st of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
• ·Of the 445 complaints about area code 973 in the 30 days to 28 July 2026, 49% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
• ·The most reported subject on area code 973 is reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans), appearing in 11% 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 973 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 973?

Texts from 973 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 973

Area code 973 shares its geographic footprint with one other code: 862. 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 Newark area?

Area code 973 has covered Newark and northern New Jersey since 1997, and it remains the code most associated with the state's largest city. Newark counted 311,549 residents at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 324,000, and its economy moves goods at a scale few American cities match. Port Newark-Elizabeth is one of the busiest container ports on the East Coast, Newark Liberty International Airport handles tens of millions of passengers a year, and the logistics, warehousing, and freight businesses around them employ a large share of the region. Downtown adds insurance and finance, with Prudential Financial headquartered in the city, plus universities including Rutgers-Newark and NJIT.

Who lives in the 973 region

Newark is one of the most international cities in the region. About 35.7% of residents were born outside the country, per 2024 Data USA figures, and the city is majority Black with large Hispanic and Portuguese-speaking communities, the latter concentrated in the Ironbound district. Spanish and Portuguese are the most common languages after English, and many neighborhood businesses operate comfortably in all three. Median household income was $52,060 in 2024, and most households get by with one car or none, relying on transit into Manhattan and around the city.

What a 973 number signals to a caller

Business here is fast and unsentimental. Callers describe short phone conversations, quick decisions, and little patience for scripted pitches. A number in area code 973 carries real local identity in Newark, New Jersey, where residents distinguish sharply between local numbers and the 862 overlay, and an out-of-state number faces a harder road to a picked-up call.

Questions