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Loves El Paso

El Paso is the 6th biggest city in the state and the only area code located in the Mountain Time Zone in Texas. It is strategically located on the Rio Grande river and borders both Mexico and New Mexico.

Interestingly, footprints in El Paso show that the city has had a human settlement for more than 10,000 years. More recently, it was founded as current day El Paso in 1680 and incorporated in 1873. The city largely began to grow after the Civil War, and there was a second population boom during the Mexican Revolution in 1913. Military expansion, oil discovery, and mining helped the city flourish through the 1900’s, and the significant economic relationship with Mexico keeps it prosperous today.

The El Paso area code has a diverse economy. The Fortune 500 company Western Refining has its headquarters in area code 915. The crude oil refinery is the only Fortune 500 company with a base in the city, but more than 70 others have offices in El Paso as well. Other publicly traded companies in the area are Helen of Troy Limited, a healthcare product manufacturer, and El Paso Electric.

Area code 915 also a major player in the military industry. Fort Bliss is the largest training area for the army in the United States, and William Beaumont Army Medical Center and Biggs Army Airfield also call the city home. In fact, over 41,000 people are employed by the defense industry in El Paso.

The El Paso area code has recently become a hub for call centers, which now employ over 10,000 people in the city. Additionally, border patrol and government operations that oversee border relations and security with Mexico are prominent in the city. Finally, area code 915 contains the Medical Center of the Americas, which is the only medical research and care provider in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.

Future job growth in El Paso is predicted at 37%, and the unemployment rate in the city is 4.8%, under the national average of 5.2%. The average household income in the El Paso area code is $42,000, which is also less than the national average of $53,000. The most common occupation for residents in El Paso, Texas is health care and social assistance, followed by educational services, and retail trade.

The National Civic League awarded El Paso the “All-American City Award” in 2010 to recognize area code 915 for their citizens who “work together to tackle community-wide challenges.” El Paso was also named the “Safest Large City in the US” in 2013, and prior to that had been in the top three of the rankings since 1997.

The city is also home to Franklin Mountains State Park, the largest urban state park in North America, and hosts multiple annual events including festivals, marathons, triathlons, and shows.