The 608 area code covers much of southwestern Wisconsin, including the capital city of Madison as well as the cities of Waunakee, Mount Horeb, Verona, Sun Prairie, Monroe, Platteville, Lancaster, Lodi, Portage, Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells, Beloit, Janesville, La Crosse, Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Sac, Sauk City, Viroqua and Sparta. It was created in 1955 as a split from area code 414, and was the third area code created in Wisconsin. Rapid growth of the area (specifically in Dane County) has brought the 608 area code close to exhaustion with most recent projections from NANPA projecting the need for an overlay code by late 2023. In September 2022 the Wisconsin Public Service Commission announced the 608 area code will be overlaid with new area code 353.