The winters (late May to mid September) tend to be rather humid and rainy, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 14-15 degrees Celsius, and minimum just above freezing.

The city counts among its natives important statesmen, politicians, poets, writers, and musicians and is an active commercial, agricultural, industrial, and service center.

According to the 2002 census of the municipality of Linares, 75.41% (or 45,987 persons) of the total population aged 15 and older identified themselves as Roman Catholic; 15.74% described themselves as evangelical Protestants; and 0.61% as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Other cities and towns in the province include: Colbún, Panimávida, Longaví, Parral, Retiro, San Javier, Villa Alegre and Yerbas Buenas.

As a commune, Linares is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years.

The commune is represented in the Senate by Hernán Larraín (UDI) and Ximena Rincón González (PDC) as part of the 11th senatorial constituency (Maule-South).