Woodall Mountain, the highest point in Mississippi, is located just south of Iuka.

Before the American Civil War, the town boasted an all-female college, a boys' military academy, and a fine hotel.

The Civil War brought widespread devastation when a major engagement here occurred on September 19, 1862.

The dead Confederate soldiers were buried in a long trench that eventually became Shady Grove Cemetery.

Mississippi Highway 25 runs to the west of downtown from south to north, leading north 16 mi (26 km) to Red Sulphur Springs, Tennessee, and south 13 mi (21 km) to Tishomingo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.7 square miles (25 km2), all land.

Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year.

[4] As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,139 people, 1,244 households, and 727 families residing in the city.