As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,565,973 inhabitants and in the 2018 estimate 574,000 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Qibin District and Qi County largely conurbated.

The city is also home to Hebi New Area, an economic development zone.

It is believed that during ancient times, cranes would rest on the cliffs of the southern mountains.

The southern mountain was then named 鹤山(HeShan), where 鹤 means crane.

The village near the southern mountain was then named 鹤壁 (Hebi), which literally translates to "Cranes resting on cliffs").