Purulia district forms the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

Purulia Sadar subdivision covers the central portion of the district.

18.58% of the population, the highest among the subdivisions of the district, lives in urban areas.

The focus is on education - the university, the sainik school, the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith at Bongabari, the upcoming medical college at Hatuara, et al.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] The area is served by the Purulia Junction railway station.

Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from lows of 23 °C to highs above 38 °C.