The town of Mpigi, where the district headquarters are located, lies approximately 37 kilometres (23 mi) west of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.

In the 1970s, Mpigi District comprised the Buganda Kingdom counties of Kyaddondo, Busiro, Mawokota, Butambala and Gomba.

[2] Mawokota remained as the sole constituent of Mpigi District.

At the 2002 census, the population of the district was about 187,800, with an annual growth rate of 1.4%.

Mpigi is one of the few areas in Uganda and likely the whole of Africa to have Humanist schools.