Artifacts from the neolithic period and the Bronze age were found in the Taesan-ri area (this was formerly a region of Seoksandong and Taesandong under the administrative division of Teokeon-myeon), showing evidence of human existence at the time in the area.

Chŏngju is divided into 14 tong (neighbourhoods) and 18 ri (villages): Local agriculture is dominated by orcharding and rice farming; the chestnuts of this region are especially famous.

The city is served by both road and rail; it is the junction point of the P'yŏngŭi and P'yŏngbuk lines of the Korean State Railway.

In February 2011, the city and others in North P'yŏngan had rare protests, of a few score of people, calling for adequate provision of rice and power.

At the time, news of the Arab Spring was spreading via Chinese TV channels and phone calls with defectors.