The city is located 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area).

Greenville was founded in 1828 as the seat of the newly formed Meriwether County.

[6] The city was named for Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the rebel American forces at the Battle of Guilford Court House on March 15, 1781.

State Route 100 leads northwest 16 miles (26 km) to Hogansville.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 794 people, 368 households, and 219 families residing in the city.