Washita County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, on the state’s western plains along the Washita River. It had a population of 10,924 at the 2020 census and covers 1,009 square miles (2,610 km2), of which 1,003 square miles are land, centred near 35°17′N 98°59′W.
New Cordell is the county seat, and its postal code is 73632. The county has 2 cities and 7 towns, plus a handful of unincorporated communities. Washita County is in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 40149.
Towns & Villages in Washita County
Nine incorporated towns and two cities are spread across Washita County’s wheat and cattle country, with several small unincorporated communities in between.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Cordell | City · seat | 2,775 | 73632 |
| Clinton | City | — | 73601 |
| Burns Flat | Town | — | 73624 |
| Canute | Town | — | 73626 |
| Colony | Town | — | — |
| Corn | Town | — | 73024 |
| Dill City | Town | — | 73641 |
| Foss | Town | — | 73647 |
| Bessie | Town | — | — |
| Rocky | Town | — | 73661 |
| Sentinel | Town | — | 73664 |
| Cloud Chief | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Port | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 73632 — New Cordell (also serves Cordell)
- 73601 — Clinton (Clinton straddles the Washita–Custer county line; most of the city sits in Custer County)
- 73624 — Burns Flat
- 73626 — Canute
- 73024 — Corn
- 73641 — Dill City
- 73647 — Foss
- 73661 — Rocky
- 73664 — Sentinel
Bessie, Colony, Cloud Chief and Port have no dedicated post office and are served by ZIP codes assigned to nearby towns.
Geography
Washita County sits on the gently rolling plains of western Oklahoma, drained by the Washita River, which crosses the county from northwest to southeast, and by several of its tributary creeks. Farmland and rangeland make up most of the 1,003 square miles of land; water covers about 0.6% of the county’s total area. It borders four other Oklahoma counties:
- Custer County — north
- Caddo County — east
- Kiowa County — south
- Beckham County — west
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 10,924 residents, with the 2025 estimate holding nearly flat at 10,884. New Cordell (2,775) and Clinton’s Washita County fringe are the largest population centres, with the rest spread across the smaller towns and farmsteads. Oklahoma’s median household income was $62,138 in the 2023 American Community Survey; Washita County, being a rural agricultural county, runs below that state figure. Population density is light, at roughly 11 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, cattle and cotton farming anchor the county’s economy, alongside oil and natural gas production in the western townships near Burns Flat and Sentinel. Burns Flat is also home to the Oklahoma Spaceport, a former Air Force base runway now used for aerospace testing and general aviation. Public schools and county government are among the largest employers in New Cordell. The Washita County Free Fair, held each September in New Cordell, is the county’s biggest annual event.
History
Washita County was created in 1891 and organized following the 1892 opening of the Cheyenne and Arapaho lands to homestead settlement. It takes its name from the Washita River, itself named by French traders as the “Fausse Ouachita,” or false Ouachita, to distinguish it from the larger Ouachita River of Arkansas and Louisiana. Cloud Chief served as the original county seat before New Cordell won the title after a fire destroyed the courthouse there. John Homer Seger established an agricultural colony for Cheyenne and Arapaho families near present-day Colony in 1886, several years before the county itself existed.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 183 runs north–south through New Cordell, Cordell and Rocky, and Oklahoma State Highway 152 crosses the county east–west. Interstate 40 passes just north of the county line through Custer and Beckham counties.
- Clinton — 20 miles northwest
- Weatherford — 25 miles north
- Elk City — 35 miles west
- Oklahoma City — 110 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer, running between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, stops at the Oklahoma City station, the nearest Amtrak service to the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Washita County?
It is in western Oklahoma, on the plains along the Washita River, bordered by Custer, Caddo, Kiowa and Beckham counties.
What is the population of Washita County?
It had a population of 10,924 at the 2020 census, holding roughly steady since.
New Cordell is the county seat — what is the New Cordell postcode?
73632.
What was the original county seat?
Cloud Chief, an unincorporated community, served as the first county seat before New Cordell took over.
How big is Washita County?
It covers 1,009 square miles (2,610 km2), of which about 1,003 square miles are land.
What is Washita County’s economy based on?
Wheat, cattle and cotton farming, oil and gas production, and aerospace testing at the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat.
Where does the county’s name come from?
From the Washita River, named by French traders the “Fausse Ouachita” to distinguish it from Arkansas and Louisiana’s Ouachita River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.