San Pedro lies east-northeast of the city of Torreón and serves as the seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name.

The municipality has a large area of 9,942.7 km2 (3,838.9 sq mi), which includes many smaller outlying communities, the largest of which is the town of Concordia (La Rosita).

During the French intervention, the lands had belonged primarily to Doña Luisa Ibarra de Zuloaga, who was closely associated with Empress Carlota.

After the restoration of the republic, the lands, notably the ranches “La Chona” and “El Hormiguero” were seized by the government and placed under the control of Don Jerónimo Treviño, hero of the 1866 Battle of Santa Isabel.

[citation needed] San Pedro is sister cities with Springfield, Illinois, United States.