352 Area Code Location: What City and State Is It From?

Got a call from a 352 number and have no idea where it’s coming from? Or maybe you’re moving to Florida and trying to figure out which area code belongs to your new city. Either way, here’s everything you need to know about the 352 area code, fast.

The 352 Area Code Location is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan for the area around Gainesville, Florida. More specifically, it covers north-central Florida, including the cities of Gainesville, Ocala, and Inverness. If you received a call from this code, it’s coming from that stretch of inland Florida, not from a major metro like Miami or Tampa.

What State Is the 352 Area Code In?

The 352 area code is located entirely within Florida, USA. It spans 15 counties and serves 99 cities, including Gainesville, Spring Hill, and Ocala, and currently uses 707 prefixes assigned from 352-200-XXXX through 352-999-XXXX.

The 352 area code covers a large portion of north-central Florida, stretching from Gainesville in the north to areas near Spring Hill in the south, and from the Gulf coast near Crystal River and Dunnellon eastward to parts of Lake County and The Villages. It does not include the city of Orlando or the Tampa Bay area, but serves much of the region between them. Major highways within its boundaries include I-75 and US-441.

The 352 area code is in the Eastern Time Zone (EDT).

Major Cities in the 352 Area Code

The most populous cities in area code 352 are Gainesville, Ocala, Leesburg, Brooksville, and Spring Hill. Here’s a closer look at the heavy hitters:

Gainesville

Gainesville is the largest city in the region, with a population of around 145,000 people, with the broader metropolitan area approaching 340,000 residents. Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the nation’s ninth-largest university campus by enrollment, as well as Santa Fe College. The student population keeps the city young and energetic, with a thriving arts scene and more coffee shops per square mile than you’d expect for central Florida.

Ocala

Ocala, the second-largest city in the region, has a population of approximately 65,000, with Marion County totaling over 380,000 residents. Ocala is renowned for its thoroughbred horse industry and features beautiful horse farms and is a gateway to the stunning Ocala National Forest. The area has earned its reputation as the “Horse Capital of the World” and that identity runs deep, with equestrian culture woven into everything from local events to land use.

The Villages

The Villages is a unique and rapidly expanding retirement community spanning parts of Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties, and is one of the fastest-growing age-restricted communities in the United States as of April 2026, driving a solid service-based economy. Golf carts outnumber regular cars in some parts of it. Seriously.

Other Notable Cities

The 352 code also covers Spring Hill, Leesburg, Brooksville, Crystal River, Inverness, and Clermont, among dozens of smaller towns. Counties covered by the 352 area code include Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, Putnam, Sumter, Taylor, and Volusia.

352 Area Code History: How Did It Come About?

Area code 352 was put into service on December 3, 1995 and was the 162nd area code in service. It was one of 14 area codes introduced in 1995 and the 7th area code in the state of Florida. It was created to relieve the pressure on the 904 area code as the numbers in 904 were being exhausted.

Florida was growing fast in the mid-1990s, and the original 904 code, which had covered a huge swath of northern Florida, simply ran out of room. The 904 area code was retained for the Jacksonville area and Northeast Florida, while the newly created 352 area code was assigned to the Gainesville, Ocala, and surrounding regions.

One operational note worth flagging: a notable change in its operation was the transition to ten-digit dialing in October 2021 to accommodate the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Before that, you could dial seven digits for local calls within the 352 area.

There are currently no overlays for the 352 area code, meaning it is the only area code for the geographic regions it covers. That makes identifying where a 352 number is coming from pretty straightforward.

Who Lives in the 352 Area Code?

The population in the 352 area code is a mix of college students, retirees, and families, with Gainesville’s student population and The Villages’ large retirement community as notable demographic anchors.

The region is home to over 1.5 million residents, with a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities, and a median age of 42.5 years, with a slightly higher percentage of retirees. That older demographic skew is largely down to The Villages, which pulls the average age upward across the entire region.

[Internal Link: RushGuides article on best places to retire in Florida]

The economic profile is equally varied. In Florida’s 352 area code, the business environment is dominated by educational services, health care, social assistance, manufacturing, and various professional services. Gainesville leans heavily on the university and healthcare sectors, while Ocala has grown as a logistics and agriculture hub.

How to Dial a 352 Number

Calling a 352 number is straightforward from anywhere in the US or internationally.

From outside the US, dial your country’s exit code, then +1-352-XXX-XXXX. The country code for the United States is +1.

Is the 352 Area Code a Scam?

Area code 352 is not a scam. It’s a legitimate telephone area code serving millions of legitimate residents and businesses in Florida, United States. That said, it does get spoofed.

Scammers fake their caller ID to display local or familiar numbers. If you live in or near Florida, or have a 352 phone number yourself, scammers know you’re more likely to answer what appears to be a local call. This tactic is called “neighbor spoofing,” and it’s particularly effective in regions with large retiree populations.

The most frequently reported cities for spam calls from area code 352 are Ocala, FL, with 8.35% of complaints, followed by Gainesville, FL, with 6.96%, Spring Hill, FL, with 4.92%, Lecanto, FL, with 4.18%, and Alachua, FL, with 2.88%.

The most frequent nuisance in the 352 area involves AI-generated voices identifying themselves as “Susan,” “Lynnette,” “Sarah,” or “Elijah Williams” that flood local lines. These callers claim to be from entities like “Health Care Benefits,” “Senior Health Advisors,” or the “Medicare Department,” often asking if you can hear them clearly to record a “yes” response or pushing unwanted back braces and diabetic supplies.

Already in 2018, people in and around Gainesville were getting 15 robocalls per month on average, 30-40% of which were scams. Scammers are continuing to target area code 352 residents, posing as trusted institutions, local businesses, or friends and family.

If someone calls from a 352 number and pressures you to hand over payment details or personal information immediately, hang up. Immediately hang up and call the legitimate number of the organization they’re trying to impersonate.

[Internal Link: RushGuides article on how to stop spam and robocalls]

Fun Facts About the 352 Area Code Region

A few things that make this part of Florida genuinely interesting:

• The 352 area code region is home to the largest horse farm in the United States, located in Ocala.
• The area code is home to the University of Florida, one of the largest universities in the United States, with over 50,000 students enrolled across a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
• The 352 area code is home to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, a sanctuary for manatees and other wildlife.
• Gainesville is nicknamed “Tree City” for its abundance of parks and green space, which stands in contrast to the concrete-heavy vibe of South Florida.
• The Villages, one of the most unusual places in America, is technically a city of golf carts. It has more golf holes per capita than almost anywhere in the country.

FAQ: 352 Area Code

What city is the 352 area code?

The largest city in the 352 area code region is Gainesville, with a population of around 145,000. Other major cities include Ocala, The Villages, Spring Hill, Leesburg, and Brooksville.

Is 352 a Florida area code?

Yes. Area code 352 serves the state of Florida. This area code was assigned on December 3rd, 1995, and it went into service on the same date.

What time zone is the 352 area code in?

Area Code 352 has a single timezone of Eastern (GMT -05:00).

Is there an overlay area code for 352?

There are currently no overlays, meaning this is the only area code for the geographic regions it covers.

Is 352 the same as a zip code?

No. A zip code and a telephone area code are completely different systems. 352 is a telephone area code for north-central Florida. Zip codes in the same region follow the standard five-digit US postal format.

Can I get a 352 area code number if I don’t live in Florida?

Yes. With VoIP providers, you can get a 352 number regardless of your physical location. Businesses use this to establish a local presence in the Gainesville and Ocala markets.

The 352 area code is north-central Florida’s own slice of the state, covering a stretch that runs from a major university town through horse country and into one of America’s biggest retirement communities. If you got a call from it, the odds are good it’s someone from Gainesville, Ocala, or The Villages reaching out. If they’re asking for your credit card number, that’s a different story.