Adilabad is a town in Adilabad District in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India . It has a population of 108,233 ( agglomeration 128,196) ( 2001 census). It is the headquarters of the district of the same name. The district occupies an area of 16,105 km² and has a population of 2,479,347 (according to the 2001 census).

Adilabad derives its name from the erstwhile ruler of Bijapur , Ali Adil Shah . It was created out of a sub-district named Sirpur-Tandur in 1905 .

Historically, Adilabad has been home to a variety of cultures. Owing to its position at the border of central and southern India, it has been ruled by North Indian dynasties like the Mughals and the Mauryas and South Indian dynasties like the Satavahanas and the Chalukyas . The current culture of the district incorporates significant elements of the neighboring Marathi culture into the native Telugu culture.