Bryan County Profile

Bryan County is Oklahoma’s only county in the Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area. The 2026 county population is 51,663, and the labor force is 23,527. Within a 45-mile radius of the county seat (City of Durant), there are over 290,000 residents and a labor pool of 135,000. The average earnings per job is $61,365 and the cost-of-living index is 91.7. The 2025 gross regional product for the county is $2.5 billion, with Retail and Health Care & Social Assistance being the two largest non-government sectors. 2025 annual retail sales were $703 million which is a 3% increase over 2024.

The county seat, Durant, is located northeast of Dallas along US-69/75, with over 39,000 vehicles per day. The Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad both serve areas of the county, with the Kiamichi Railroad (KRR) interchanging with both Class I rail providers. KRR also interchanges with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad in Arkansas. Durant operates a national business airport with a 6,800-foot x 100-foot runway. DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field are the nearest commercial airports at 75 miles.

Bryan County continues to set the pace for tourism in the Choctaw Nation, generating $830.3 million in visitor spending in 2025. Trips and overnight stays edged down, but spending, earnings, taxes, and tourism-supported jobs all increased. Recreation remained the county's signature driver at $699.6 million, giving Bryan County a level of visitor activity unmatched elsewhere in the region.

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Choctaw County Profile

Choctaw County has a 2026 population of 14,086 and a labor force of 7,178. Within a 45-mile radius of the county seat (Hugo), there are 231,000 residents and a labor pool of 105,000. The average earnings per job is $53,892 and the cost-of-living index is 90.0. The 2025 gross regional product for the county is $640 million, with Health Care & Social Assistance and Retail being the two largest non-government sectors. In 2025, annual retail sales topped $179 million which is a 10% increase year over year.

The county seat, City of Hugo, is located approximately 90 miles from the Dallas Metropolitan and the Texarkana Metropolitan areas. Hugo anchors the southern end of the Indian Nation Turnpike, providing a direct north-south connection to I-40. I-30 is located 60 miles south and US-69/75 is 50 miles west. The Kiamichi Railroad traverses the county, which provides interchange opportunities with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroads. Hugo operates a general aviation airport with a 4,007-foot x 75-foot runway.

Choctaw County's 2025 tourism numbers were steady, even as visitor count and spending eased slightly. Visitor spending totaled $151.3 million, and tourism supported 970 jobs, $41.5 million in earnings, and $8.1 million in taxes. Recreation accounted for $127.8 million of the total, giving the county a strong visitor base tied closely to its recreation assets.

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Coal County Profile

Coal County is located on the western boundary of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The 2026 county population is 5,526, and the labor force is 2,283. The average earnings per job is $56,922, and the cost-of-living index is 93.7. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $204 million, with Health Care & Social Assistance and Construction being the two largest non-government sectors. 2025 annual retail sales were $78 million which is an increase of 33% over 2024.

The county seat, City of Coalgate, is located 80 miles from the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area and the US-69/75 corridor is 15 miles east. Within a 45-mile radius of Coalgate, there are 177,000 residents and a labor pool of 78,000. Coalgate operates a community airport with a 2,584-foot x 80-foot grass runway.

Coal County's tourism economy is small, but it moved in a positive direction in 2025. Trips increased 5%, overnight stays rose 4%, and visitor spending reached $3.3 million, led by food & beverage, retail, and gasoline.

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Haskell County Profile

Haskell County is located along the northern boundary of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The county has a 2026 population of 11,794 and a labor force of 4,861. Within a 45-mile radius of Stigler, there are 242,000 residents and a labor pool of 95,000. The cost-of-living index is 89.2 and the average earnings per job is $50,437. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $459 million, with Health Care & Social Assistance and Retail being the two largest non-government sectors. The 2025 annual retail sales were $114 million, which is a 16% increase over five years.

The City of Stigler (county seat) is located 60 miles south of the Tulsa Metropolitan area and 40 miles west of Fort Smith, Arkansas. The McClellan-Kerr navigable waterway is located along the county’s northern boundary, with access via the Port of Keota and the Port of Carl Albert. Stigler operates a general aviation airport with a 4,296-foot x 60-foot runway.

Haskell County had a mixed tourism year in 2025, with trips and overnight stays down slightly and visitor spending declining 10% to $24.7 million. Even with that drop, tourism-supported jobs held steady, while earnings and taxes increased. Recreation and Food & Beverage remained the main anchors, showing that the county's visitor economy retained a stable core.

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Hughes County Profile

The southern half of Hughes County is in the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The county has a population of 13,430 and a labor force of 4,214. The average earnings per job is $47,287 and the cost-of-living index is 89.4. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $481 million, with Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting and Health Care & Social Assistance being the two largest non-government sectors. The annual retail sales in 2025  were $120 million which is an increase of 5% over 2024.

The county seat is the City of Holdenville, which is outside the reservation. Within a 45-mile radius of Holdenville, there are 210,000 residents and a labor pool of 90,000. Holdenville is located 60 miles southeast of Oklahoma City and 70 miles southwest of Tulsa. I-40 is located 20 miles north. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad crosses through the county, connecting Denison, TX and Tulsa, OK. Holdenville operates a community airport with a 4,296-foot x 100-foot runway.

Hughes County welcomed more trips and overnight stays in 2025, but visitor spending declined 5% to $9.2 million. Food & beverage and retail made up much of the county's visitor activity, while recreation and lodging remained smaller pieces of the mix. Tourism supported 90 jobs, and earnings rose 12%, giving the year a more balanced reading than the spending decline alone suggests.

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Latimer County Profile

Latimer County has a 2026 population of 9,479 and a labor force of 4,286. The average earnings per job is $65,727 and the cost-of-living index is 88.5. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $451 million, with Construction and Health Care & Social Assistance being the two largest non-government sectors. 2025 annual retail sales were $83 million which is an 8% increase over 2024.

The county seat, City of Wilburton, is located 60 miles southwest of Fort Smith, Arkansas and 80 miles southeast of Tulsa. Within a 45-mile radius of Wilburton, there are 146,000 residents and a labor force of 58,000. US-69 and the Indian Nations Turnpike are located 30 miles to the west. The Arkansas Oklahoma Railroad crosses the county and interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad. Wilburton operates a community airport with a 3,000-foot x 60-foot runway.

Latimer County had a slower tourism year in 2025, with visitor spending declining 5% to $29.2 million. Food and beverage, retail, gasoline, and lodging carried most of the visitor activity, rather than one dominant spending category. Even in a softer year, that mix reflects a tourism base connected to everyday local businesses and the county's outdoor setting.

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LeFlore County Profile

LeFlore County is in the Fort Smith Metropolitan Statistical Area and forms the northeastern corner of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The 2026 county population is 50,290, and the labor force is 19,318. The average earnings per job is $50,672, and the cost-of-living index is 87.5. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $1.6 billion, with Retail and Health Care & Social Assistance being the two largest non-government sectors. Annual retail sales reached $475 million in 2025, a 24% increase since 2020.

The county seat, City of Poteau, is located 20 miles south of Interstate-40 and 20 miles west of Fort Smith. The proposed alignment of I-49 in Arkansas (corridor between New Orleans and Kansas City) is 20 miles east of Poteau. Within a 45-mile radius of Poteau, there are 394,000 residents and a labor pool of 167,000. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad interchanges with both the Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad and the Arkansas Southern Railroad in LeFlore County. Two general aviation airports operate in LeFlore County: a regional business airport with a 4,007-foot x 75-foot runway is in Poteau, and a community airport with a 3,300-foot x 60-foot runway is in Talihina.

LeFlore County turned steady visitation into stronger economic return in 2025. Trips were nearly flat, but visitor spending rose 9% to $280.3 million, while tourism jobs, earnings, and taxes all increased. Recreation spending reached $222.3 million, underscoring how central the county's outdoor and recreation assets are to its visitor economy.

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McCurtain County Profile

McCurtain County forms the southeastern corner of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The county has a population of 30,445 and a labor force of 14,739. The average earnings per job is $56,465 and the cost-of-living index is 88.1. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $1.7 billion, with Manufacturing and Retail being the two largest non-government sectors. The 2025 annual retail sales were $718 million which is a 43% increase since 2020.

The county seat, City of Idabel, is located 50 miles northwest of Texarkana, TX. Within a 45-mile radius of Idabel, there are 237,000 residents and a labor pool of 107,000. Interstate-30 is 35 miles south of Idabel, and the proposed right-of-way for I-49 is 30 miles to the east (corridor linking New Orleans and Kansas City). The Kiamichi Railroad and DeQueen Eastern Railroad serve the county, and both interchange with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroads. McCurtain County is served by two general aviation airports. Broken Bow operates a community airport with a 3,200-foot x 50-foot runway. Idabel operates a regional business airport with a 5,002-foot x 75-foot runway. Texarkana has the closest commercial aviation airport.

McCurtain County remained the Choctaw Nation's largest visitor destination in 2025, with 1.6 million trips and 3.6 million person nights. Visitor spending slipped 3% to $496.8 million, a modest decline compared with the double-digit drop in trips from the prior year. Lodging led the county's tourism mix at $180.3 million, reinforcing McCurtain County's position as the region's strongest overnight-stay market.

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Pittsburg County Profile

Pittsburg County has a 2026 population of 43,303 and a labor force of 16,977. The average earnings per job is $62,203 and the cost-of-living index is 91.0. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $2.1 billion, with Retail and Health Care & Social Assistance being the two largest non-government sectors. The 2025 annual retail sales were $721 million which is a 28% increase since 2020. The county seat, City of McAlester, is located 80 miles south of Tulsa. Within a 45-mile radius of McAlester, the population is 283,000 and the labor pool is 115,000.

US-69 and the Indian Nation Turnpike intersect in McAlester, with US-69 carrying 30,000 vehicles per day through the community. The Union Pacific Railroad interchanges with the Arkansas-Oklahoma (AOK) Railroad in McAlester. The AOK also interchanges with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad in Howe, Oklahoma. Pittsburg County has two general aviation airports. McAlester operates a regional business airport with a 5,602-foot x 100-foot runway. The State Tourism Commission operates a 3,500-foot x 50-foot runway near Carlton Landing at Lake Eufaula.

Pittsburg County remained one of the region's larger visitor economies in 2025, with 442,000 trips, 1.1 million person nights, and $140.4 million in visitor spending. Spending declined 9%, but tourism earnings rose 4% and taxes increased 3%, softening the impact of the headline decline. Recreation, food & beverage, and lodging all played meaningful roles, giving the county a more balanced tourism profile than many rural markets.

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Pushmataha County Profile

Pushmataha County has a 2026 population of 10,775 and a labor force of 4,180. The average earnings per job is $49,601 and the cost-of-living index is 90.0. The 2025 gross regional product for the county was $307 million, with Health Care & Social Assistance and Retail being the two largest non-government sectors. The 2025 annual retail sales were $79 million, which is a 16% increase since 2020. The county seat, City of Antlers, is located along the Indian Nation Turnpike, which connects Tulsa with Paris, TX. Within a 45-mile radius of Antlers, there are 142,000 residents and a labor pool of 65,000. The city operates a general airport with a 4,001-foot x 60-foot runway.

Pushmataha County posted the region's sharpest contrast in 2025: trips dipped 2%, while visitor spending rose 56% to $26.5 million. Recreation remained the largest category at $13.4 million, with food & beverage, lodging, and retail holding steady by comparison.

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