It is bordered by Tenryū-ku to the north, Higashi-ku and Naka-ku to the east, Hamakita-ku Minami-ku and Kosai to the south, and the cities of Toyohashi and Shinshiro to the west.

It is largely a residential suburb of central Hamamatsu, and a considerable portion of the ward is forested.

Kita-ku was created on April 1, 2007 when Hamamatsu became a city designated by government ordinance (a "designated city").

It consists of the former towns of Inasa, Hosoe and Mikkabi, which had already merged into Hamamatsu in 2005.

Kita-ku is served by 14 stations on the Tenryū Hamanako Railroad Tenryū Hamanako Line railway.