While Colorado has announced its sixth area code — the 748, which started overlapping in the existing 970 Northern Colorado area Monday — Wyoming residents can rest easy knowing their beloved 307 will remain the state’s only area code for at least a couple more decades.
Heidi Wayman, who leads data management for North American Numbering Plan Administrator, which is a private contractor supervised by the Federal Communications Commission to manage area codes, Wyoming's 307 has plenty of room left in it for future phone numbers.
That’s because adding area codes is all a numbers game based on when the number of possible seven-digit phone numbers is exhausted.
Wayman's analysis provides clear reassurance that’s still at least 20 years off for Wyoming, good news for those who carry a torch for the 307.
Wyoming residents have nothing to worry about for the foreseeable future, she explained, emphasizing the lengthy timeline ahead before any changes would be necessary.
The area code management expert noted that Wyoming's situation reflects broader demographic patterns.
“The highest number of area code assignments are typically in California, and then usually Texas,” Wayman said.
Those places are accustomed to new area codes mushrooming to meet growing demand for telephone service.
Meanwhile, Wyoming contentedly maintains its status quo with the other 10 states that still operate with just one area code: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont.
From the 808 in Hawaii to the 406 in Montana, area codes have become shorthand for state pride and unabashed localism. The affinity some have for their area codes carries enough emotional punch to inspire tattoos, custom jewelry and the names of businesses.
The Wyoming Secretary of State's Office shows at least 920 businesses with names starting with 307.
While some are inactive, many thriving establishments like 307 Vodka, 307 Show Goats and 307 Dog Wash are open and ready to welcome customers who share an affinity for Wyoming's only area code.
There are more than 900 businesses registered in Wyoming that begin with "307," including 307 Made. (307 Made) 
There are more than 900 businesses registered in Wyoming that begin with "307," including 307 Vodka. (307 Vodka) 
There are more than 900 businesses registered in Wyoming that begin with "307," including 307 Dog Wash. (307 Dog Wash)
307-Centric
For business owners like Michelle Shimmin, who runs both 307 Made and Simplicity 307, the area code represents more than just a phone number, it's a branding tool and badge of Wyoming identity.
307 Made in Cheyenne is a marketplace featuring items made by Wyoming residents.
Recently, when an out-of-state customer wondered if Wyoming would get another area code, Shimmin did her own research.
"I decided to look it up,” said Shimmin, recalling her relief at discovering any change is decades away.
When Wyoming does get another area code, according to the North American Numbering Plan, it will overlap the whole state, thereby preserving all existing 307 numbers.
Shimmin's path to the 307 came after learning "Made in Wyoming" was already trademarked.
"I was about ready to just forget it and go to some off-the-wall name like the Purple Chicken or something like that," she recalled.
Her other business, Simplicity 307, puts on craft and vendor shows including the Cowboy Christmas Market and Halloween Harvest Market.
Both enterprises celebrate Wyoming-made products and the state's unique identity, which shoppers can celebrate with a custom earrings and necklace set that spells out the precious digits and allows the wearer to become a walking 307.
Prideful Digits
Wyoming’s love affair with its area code isn’t restricted to old timers who remember when the 307 was established and put into service in 1947 as one of the original 86 North American area codes created by AT&T under the North American Numbering Plan.
Hudson Oelschlager, a 23-year-old finishing his lighting design degree at Shenandoah University, launched 307 Productions last summer in Cody. His sound and lighting rental company serves everything from concerts to dramatic productions to multimedia installations.
"Wyoming always has a special place in my heart," Oelschlager said. "It just felt right to name the business from where I'm from and where I'm based out of."
For Oelschlager, when he’s away at college in Virginia, seeing a 307 number brings instant connection to home.
"I immediately know it’s 90% going to be somebody I know really well. I know it always brings me a smile too,” said Oelschlager.
Even if Wyoming eventually gets a new area code, Oelschlager believes he made the right choice with his business name.
"I'm still never going to change the name because it's going to kind of show passing time, to let me remember where I started,” he said.
At the 307 Bar and Grill in Riverton, manager Danielle Bynon said they adopted the name five years ago when they opened to the public beyond just golf course members at the Riverton Country Club.
For her, 307 represents “us, a small community where everybody feels at home. It’s that. It’s ours.”
Far From Alone
In the digital age, even as phone numbers with identifiable area codes take a backseat to contacts with names saved into smartphones, many area codes continue to carry a certain cache.
The 212 area code reigns supreme as the ultimate trophy number, representing the heart of Manhattan in New York City and carrying global recognition that makes it extraordinarily limited and highly coveted.
Close behind, Los Angeles's 310 serves as a badge of West Coast elite status, symbolizing Hollywood glamour and celebrity culture.
Beyond the coastal powerhouses, area codes have become deeply embedded in local identity and cultural movements, reflecting a city or region’s most known characteristics. Miami's 305 is an area code that remains synonymous with terms like “well-tanned” and “scantily clad.”
San Francisco's 415 represents the innovative spirit of the Bay Area's tech revolution. Austin's 512 embodies the city's creative energy and hipster reputation, while Atlanta's 404 carries significant weight in hip-hop culture and Southern pride.
Washington D.C.'s 202 suggests political influence, Chicago's 312 represents historic urban authenticity and Las Vegas's 702 is code for stories and experiences that happen in the 702 and should stay in the 702.
Wyoming’s 307 represents the West and the cowboy code embodied by the Cowboy State.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
