Area code 850 covers the Florida Panhandle, including cities such as Tallahassee, Pensacola, Panama City, and Destin. It was created in 1997 from a split of area code 904 to accommodate growth in the northern and western portions of the state. The region includes Florida’s state capital, beautiful Gulf Coast beaches, military installations, and several universities. In 2021, area code 448 was overlaid onto 850 to meet the increasing demand for new numbers, requiring ten-digit dialing. Area code 850 has become a symbol of regional identity, especially in political and academic circles centered in Tallahassee. It balances rural landscapes, college towns, and vibrant coastal cities under a single code.