Adair County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the northeastern part of the state, drained by the Chariton River. It had a population of 25,314 at the 2020 census and covers 569 square miles (1,470 km2) centred near 40°11′N 92°36′W.
Kirksville is the county seat, and its postal code is 63501. The county has four incorporated cities, two villages, and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities. Adair County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Adair County
Adair County has 4 incorporated cities, 2 incorporated villages, and about 25 unincorporated places and named crossroads. “CDP” below marks a Census-designated place; “Unincorp.” marks a community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirksville | City · seat | — | 63501 |
| Novinger | City | — | 63559 |
| Brashear | City | — | 63533 |
| Greentop | City | — | 63546 |
| Gibbs | Village | — | 63540 |
| Millard | Village | — | — |
| Adair | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bullion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clay | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Connelsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Danforth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dart | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fegley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loeffler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mines | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nind | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nineveh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Paultown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ringo Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shibleys Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Simler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sperry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stahl | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sublette | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tipperary | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Troy Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willmathsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yarrow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Youngstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zig | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 63501 — Kirksville (also serves Millard)
- 63533 — Brashear
- 63540 — Gibbs
- 63546 — Greentop
- 63559 — Novinger
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities — Adair, Bullion, Clay, Danforth, and the rest of the crossroads list above — have no ZIP code of their own and use the Kirksville or a neighbouring town’s code depending on location.
Geography
Adair County lies on the rolling till plains of northeastern Missouri, drained by the Chariton River and its forks, which cross the county roughly north to south. The terrain is a mix of cropland, pasture, and remnant timber along the stream bottoms; the county has 567 square miles of land and 2.1 square miles of water.
Adair County borders Putnam County to the northwest, Schuyler County to the north, Scotland County to the northeast, Knox County to the east, Macon County to the south, Linn County to the southwest, and Sullivan County to the west. All seven are covered on this site: Putnam County, Schuyler County, Scotland County, Knox County, Macon County, Linn County, and Sullivan County.
Demographics
Adair County had 25,314 residents at the 2020 census. Kirksville is by far the largest community, followed by Novinger; together the two account for most of the county’s population, and Kirksville’s roughly 21,200 metro-area residents represent about 84 percent of the county total. Median household income in Adair County runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting the presence of two large college-student populations that depress household-income figures without reflecting local poverty. Density works out to about 45 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Higher education anchors the local economy: Kirksville is home to Truman State University, a public liberal-arts and sciences university, and to a satellite campus of A.T. Still University, the nation’s first osteopathic medical school. Health care, education, and retail trade tied to the two campuses are the county’s largest employment sectors; agriculture — row crops and cattle on the county’s till-plain farmland — remains important outside Kirksville.
History
Adair County was organized on January 29, 1841, and named for Adair County, Kentucky, itself named for Kentucky governor John Adair. Settlement in the area predates the county’s formal organization; pioneer families arrived along the Chariton River beginning in 1828. The county’s most notable early conflict was the 1829 “Big Neck War,” a confrontation between Ioway people and settlers that ended with a small band of Ioway killed near present-day Kirksville. The Adair County Courthouse in Kirksville, a Romanesque building completed in 1899, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Getting There
US Route 63 runs north–south through the county via Kirksville, and Missouri Route 6 crosses it east–west; both routes meet in Kirksville.
- Macon — 30 miles south
- Moberly — 55 miles south
- Quincy, Illinois — 60 miles east
- Columbia, Missouri — 80 miles south
Kirksville Regional Airport offers subsidized commercial air service; the nearest larger commercial airport is Columbia Regional Airport, about 80 miles south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Adair County, Missouri?
Adair County is in the northeastern part of Missouri, on US Route 63 about 190 miles northwest of St. Louis and 160 miles northeast of Kansas City.
What is the population of Adair County?
Adair County had a population of 25,314 at the 2020 census.
How big is Adair County?
Adair County covers 569 square miles (1,470 km2), of which 567 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Adair County?
Kirksville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Adair County?
Adair County has four incorporated cities (Kirksville, Novinger, Brashear, and Greentop), two incorporated villages (Gibbs and Millard), and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Adair County?
Adair County’s ZIP codes are 63501 (Kirksville), 63533 (Brashear), 63540 (Gibbs), 63546 (Greentop), and 63559 (Novinger).
What university is in Adair County?
Truman State University, a public liberal-arts and sciences university, is in Kirksville, along with a satellite campus of A.T. Still University.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.