Adair County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, on the Ozark plateau in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 19,495 at the 2020 census and covers 577 square miles (1,490 km2) — 573 square miles (1,480 km2) of land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) of water — centred near 35°53′N 94°40′W.
Stilwell is the county seat, and its postal code is 74960. The county has one city and two towns — Stilwell, Watts, and Westville — plus more than three dozen unincorporated communities. Adair County lies within the Central Time Zone and is entirely within the Cherokee Nation reservation.
Towns & Villages in Adair County
Adair County has three incorporated places (one city, two towns) and dozens of unincorporated communities and rural crossroads scattered across the county’s hills and hollows. The table below marks incorporated places by type; everything else is listed as Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stilwell | City · seat | 3,700 | 74960 |
| Westville | Town | 1,364 | 74965 |
| Watts | Town | — | 74964 |
| Bunch | Unincorp. | — | 74931 |
| Proctor | Unincorp. | — | 74457 |
| Addielee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ballard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cave Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chance | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherry Tree | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chewey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Christie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elm Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elohim City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| England | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Going Snake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greasy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Honey Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lyons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lyons Switch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marietta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mulberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Green | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peavine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rocky Mountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sanders | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spade Mountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stony Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Strawberry Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Titanic | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wauhillau | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Peavine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitmire | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zion | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 74960 — Stilwell (also serves the surrounding communities of Bell, Christie, and Cherry Tree)
- 74965 — Westville
- 74964 — Watts
- 74931 — Bunch
- 74457 — Proctor
Most of the county’s smaller communities have no ZIP code of their own and are served by mail delivery out of one of the five post office towns above.
Geography
Adair County sits on the Ozark plateau in far eastern Oklahoma, a rolling, wooded landscape of ridges and hollows that gives way to the Arkansas border a few miles east. The terrain is mostly forested hill country, cut by small creeks that feed the Illinois River system to the south. The county borders Delaware County to the north, Cherokee County to the west, and Sequoyah County to the south, with three Arkansas counties — Benton, Washington, and Crawford — forming its eastern boundary.
Demographics
Adair County had 19,495 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 34 people per square mile. Stilwell, with 3,700 residents, is by far the largest community, followed by Westville at 1,364. The county’s median household income runs well below the Oklahoma median of $62,138 — Stilwell’s per-capita income has been reported at roughly $12,872, reflecting the persistent rural poverty that marks much of eastern Oklahoma’s Cherokee Nation territory.
Economy & Local Life
Poultry farming, food processing, and cattle ranching anchor the local economy, alongside a long tradition of strawberry growing that took off during the Great Depression and World War II. Major employers have included Tyson Foods, Cherokee Nation Industries, and Mrs. Smith’s Bakery/Stilwell Foods. Stilwell’s annual Strawberry Festival, first held in 1948, remains the county’s signature event; the 2022 edition drew one of the largest parades in the festival’s 75-year history. Stilwell Memorial Hospital closed in June 2025, and residents now travel 23 to 51 miles to reach the nearest hospitals in Tahlequah, Sallisaw, or Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
History
Adair County was organized in 1906, the same year Oklahoma achieved statehood, and was named after the Adair family of the Cherokee Nation. One source holds that the name honors Watt Adair specifically, one of the first Cherokees to settle in the area following removal along the Trail of Tears. The county has remained within Cherokee Nation territory ever since, and Cherokee cultural and governmental institutions remain prominent across the county today. Westville, founded in 1895 as a railroad junction on the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf line, produced U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin, broadcaster Jim Ross, and Cherokee Nation Chief Thomas Buffington.
Getting There
US Highway 59 runs north–south through the county and US Highway 62 crosses it east–west, meeting at Westville; State Highway 51 provides an additional link toward Tahlequah.
- Tahlequah — about 20 miles west
- Fayetteville, Arkansas — about 30 miles east
- Fort Smith, Arkansas — about 40 miles southeast
- Muskogee — about 45 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Adair County, Oklahoma?
It sits on the Ozark plateau in the east-central part of Oklahoma, bordering Arkansas, within Cherokee Nation territory.
What is the population of Adair County?
19,495 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Adair County?
577 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 573 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Adair County?
Stilwell is the county seat.
How many towns are in Adair County?
Three incorporated places — the city of Stilwell and the towns of Watts and Westville — plus dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Adair County?
74960 (Stilwell), 74965 (Westville), 74964 (Watts), 74931 (Bunch), and 74457 (Proctor).
What is Adair County known for?
Its strawberry farming heritage and Stilwell’s annual Strawberry Festival, first held in 1948.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.