254 Area Code: Killeen, Waco & Central TX Guide (2026)

📅 2026-02-28 ⏱️ 14 min read ✍️ BubblyPhone Team

254 area code covers Killeen, Waco, Temple, and Central Texas. Fort Hood, Dr Pepper's Waco origin, Baylor, SpaceX, and scam alerts.

The 254 area code covers Central Texas, serving cities including Killeen, Waco, Temple, Belton, Copperas Cove, and Harker Heights. Created on May 25, 1997, by splitting from area code 817, it spans approximately 24 counties and is home to over 800,000 people across two major metro areas.

This is the region where a pharmacist invented America's oldest major soft drink in a drugstore, where the largest active-duty armored military post in the United States drives a $28.8 billion annual economic impact, where two teenagers stumbled onto a 65,000-year-old nursery herd of Columbian mammoths, and where SpaceX test-fires every Raptor engine before it leaves the atmosphere.

254 Area Code Quick Facts

State: Texas
Major Cities: Killeen, Waco, Temple
Area Code: 254 (no overlay)
Time Zone: Central (CT)
Combined Population: ~816,000+
Created: May 25, 1997
Split From: Area code 817 (Fort Worth)
Dialing: 10-digit mandatory

254 Area Code: How Central Texas Got Its Own Code

817 (1947) — Originally covered a massive swath of north-central Texas from Fort Worth to Waco to Wichita Falls. 254 (1997) — Created May 25, 1997 as the 12th Texas area code. Covers the Killeen-Temple and Waco metros. 940 (1997) — Created same day, covering Denton, Wichita Falls, and surrounding counties.

Fort Hood: The Largest Active-Duty Armored Post in America

Fort Hood sprawls across 218,000 acres of Bell and Coryell County ranchland — roughly 340 square miles. It is the largest active-duty armored military post in the United States, home to approximately 40,000 soldiers. Established in 1942 as Camp Hood, it contributed $28.8 billion to the Texas economy in 2021 and is Texas's largest single-site employer.

Dr Pepper: America's Oldest Major Soft Drink Was Born in Waco

In 1885, pharmacist Charles Alderton was working at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in downtown Waco. He created a blend of 23 flavors that customers started asking for as "a Waco." Store owner Wade Morrison gave the drink its permanent name — Dr Pepper — with the official creation date of December 1, 1885. That's one year before Coca-Cola, making Dr Pepper America's oldest major soft drink brand.

Baylor University: Chartered by the Republic of Texas

Baylor University was chartered on February 1, 1845, by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. It is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and the largest Baptist university in the world. Today Baylor's 1,000-acre campus sits on the banks of the Brazos River, with approximately 20,626 students.

Waco Mammoth National Monument: A 65,000-Year-Old Nursery Herd

In 1978, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin found remains of at least 24 Columbian mammoths — the nation's first and only recorded nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths. President Obama designated the site as Waco Mammoth National Monument on July 10, 2015.

SpaceX McGregor: Where Every Rocket Engine Gets Tested

In McGregor, Texas — a town of roughly 5,200 people — sits SpaceX's 4,300-acre rocket engine test facility. Every single rocket engine manufactured by SpaceX must pass through McGregor for qualification testing. SpaceX entered a $150 million expansion agreement with the City of Waco totaling 400 new positions.

Is a 254 Area Code Call a Scam?

Area code 254 is a legitimate code serving over 800,000 people in Central Texas. However, like all area codes, 254 numbers can be spoofed by scammers. Military communities (Fort Hood area) are frequent targets. Use our Spam Number Checker to verify suspicious numbers.

254 vs Kenya Country Code +254

US area code 254 (Central Texas) and international country code +254 (Kenya) share the same digits but are completely different. When calling a US 254 number from abroad, dial +1-254-XXX-XXXX. When calling Kenya, dial +254-XXX-XXX-XXXX. Read our Kenya country code guide for more.

How to Call 254 Area Code Internationally

Dial exit code + 1 + 254 + 7-digit number. On mobile: +1-254-XXX-XXXX. Use our Best Time to Call for Central Time info. Look up any code with our Area Code Lookup. Check our rates.