Shiraoka is located slightly south of the center of the Kanto Plain in the flatlands eastern Saitama Prefecture and has an almost flat terrain.

The villages of Shinozu and Oyama were created within Minamisaitama District, Saitama with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

On September 1, 1965, Shinozu and the neighboring village of Hikachi, together with a part of Oyama merged to form the town of Shiraoka.

[4] Shiraoka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 13th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.