Area code 304 is the original and primary telephone area code for the entire state of West Virginia, United States. It was one of the earliest area codes created in 1947 and covers all cities and counties within West Virginia, including major cities like Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Parkersburg, and Wheeling

. Due to the growing demand for phone numbers, area code 304 is overlaid by area code 681, which serves the same geographic area. This means both 304 and 681 cover the entire state of West Virginia, and ten-digit dialing is mandatory for local calls within the state

. The area code is in the Eastern Time Zone and serves a population of approximately 1.79 million residents across about 50 counties