Area code 503 serves northwestern Oregon, including Portland, Salem, and Astoria. As one of the original area codes from 1947, it originally covered the entire state before being split by 541 in 1995. It has since been overlaid with 971, requiring ten-digit dialing. The 503 region is Oregon’s political, cultural, and economic center, home to a dynamic blend of tech companies, breweries, and environmental activism. Area code 503 has retained a sense of prestige and identity, often seen in local branding as a shorthand for the progressive, nature-loving, and entrepreneurial spirit of the Pacific Northwest.