Kenosha · Central Timesince 1999 · no overlay528 reported · 30 daysrank 149 of 331updated 8 Oct 2026
Area code 262 — Kenosha, Wisconsin
Area code
262
Location
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Location
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Status
Active since 1999
Spam reports · 30 days
528 numbers
Area code 262 covers Kenosha and surrounding communities in Wisconsin.
Updated 8 October 2026
Area code 262 is in Wisconsin, shown here with Kenosha marked.
Now in Kenosha
Central Time · UTC−6, UTC−5 in summer
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Central Time
Where you are—
Offset—
Callback window
Typical business hours, 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.
Typical business hours, 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, shown as the blue arc. A guide to when a real Kenosha office is likely to answer. It says nothing about who called you.
Source: North American Numbering Plan Administrator, retrieved 8 October 2026.
02
Is area code 262 a scam?
No. Area code 262 is a legitimate area code serving Kenosha since 1999. Scammers spoof caller ID to display 262 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 262 number, and the number they display may belong to a real business in Kenosha that has nothing to do with the call.
The callerAnywhere in the worldSets the caller ID their equipment sends.
What is displayed(262) 304-8719May belong to a real Kenosha business.
Your phoneLooks localA nearby code and prefix make you likelier to answer.
528Area code 262 had 528 different numbers reported for spam calls in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
149thArea code 262 ranks 149th of 331 US geographic area codes by spam complaint volume.
58%Of the 565 complaints about area code 262 in the 30 days to 8 October 2026, 58% were reported as a recorded message or robocall.
10%The most reported subject on area code 262 is reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage, student loans), appearing in 10% of its complaints in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
Why am I getting text messages from area code 262?
Texts from 262 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.
Pattern 1Wrong-number openerTurns into conversation.
Pattern 2Unsolicited job offerDo not reply, do not follow the link.
Pattern 3Crypto or investment tipTreat any payment ask as suspect.
Report it7726Forward the message. It spells SPAM on a keypad.
04 · The human layer
Who works in the Kenosha area?
Area code 262 rings Milwaukee in a horseshoe of suburban and industrial counties, and Kenosha anchors its southern end. The city sits on Lake Michigan halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago, and that position defines its economy. Snap-on, the toolmaker, and Jockey International, the apparel company, are both headquartered in Kenosha. The old auto plants that built millions of cars through 1988 are gone, replaced by one of the Midwest's densest logistics corridors: Amazon, Uline, and Haribo's first North American plant all operate large facilities along Interstate 94 in Kenosha County. Elsewhere in the 262 region, Waukesha County carries heavy manufacturing with firms like Generac and GE HealthCare's Waukesha operations.
Who lives in the 262 region
Kenosha's population is just under 100,000, at 99,372 in 2024 per DataUSA, with a median age of 37.1. The 2024 median household income was $71,239 and the median property value $225,200, figures propped up by residents who live in Wisconsin and commute to Illinois jobs. About 19% of residents are Hispanic per 2024 DataUSA data, a share that has grown with the county's logistics boom.
What a 262 number signals to a caller
A number in area code 262 reads as southeastern Wisconsin without being Milwaukee proper, since the code was split from 414 in 1999 specifically to separate the ring counties from the city. Callers describe phone habits in Kenosha, Wisconsin as direct and unfussy, in the general Upper Midwest mold. The region is on Central time, one hour behind the Chicago customers many Kenosha firms serve, which trips up scheduling more often than anyone admits.
Area code 262 serves Kenosha and surrounding communities in Wisconsin. It is in the Central Time zone.
What state is area code 262 in?
Area code 262 is in Wisconsin.
Is area code 262 toll free?
No. Area code 262 is a geographic area code serving Kenosha, Wisconsin. The toll-free codes are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888, and a call to a 262 number is charged at your normal rate.
Why am I getting calls from 262?
Calls displaying a 262 number come from businesses and individuals in the Kenosha area, and from anywhere at all when caller ID is spoofed to look local. 528 262 numbers were reported to the FTC in the 30 days to 8 October 2026.
How do I block calls from area code 262?
Both iOS and Android can silence calls from unknown numbers, and every major US carrier offers free call-blocking. Blocking the whole of area code 262 is rarely worth it, because spoofed numbers change constantly and you would lose legitimate calls from Kenosha.