According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Pitrufquén spans an area of 580.7 km2 (224 sq mi) and has 21,988 inhabitants (10,902 men and 11,086 women).

[3] Pitrufquén's population is characterized as varied because its members have different culture backgrounds, highlighting the historical legacy Spanish and immigrants principally from: France, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and Hungary.

Currently, the largest foreign colony is in "Faja Maisan" composed mostly of descendants of Germans, Dutchmen and Swiss, whose ancestors arrived in La Araucanía between 1905 and 1912.

As a commune, Pitrufquén 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 José Garcia Ruminot (RN) and Eugenio Tuma Zedan (PPD) as part of the 15th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).