It lies within the Poconos region approximately five miles (8 km) from the Delaware Water Gap at the confluence of Brodhead Creek, McMichaels, and Pocono Creeks in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Stroud's family founded Stroudsburg in the mid-1700s, and the town was incorporated on February 5, 1815.

Stroudsburg is located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains and serves as the Monroe County seat.

Downtown Stroudsburg is the commercial hub for the surrounding area, serving as the Monroe County seat, and is located just off Interstate 80.

Downtown Stroudsburg is home to more than 24 restaurants, nine art galleries, three women's clothing stores, numerous antique stores, several general merchandisers, many specialty shops, two hotels, the local YMCA, 11 financial institutions and the core of the legal profession in Monroe County.

Businesses include: The Sherman Theater and regional performing arts Center, the MCAC Community Cultural Center, the Monroe County Historical Association, the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, the East Stroudsburg University business accelerator, the Pocono Family YMCA, the US Post Office, the Monroe County Courthouse, the Monroe County Administration Center, the largest regional police force in Pennsylvania, and the Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce.

U.S. Route 209 Business follows Main Street along a southwest–northeast alignment through the center of the borough.

Finally, Pennsylvania Route 611 follows Foxtown Hill Road, Park Avenue, Main Street, and Ninth Street along a southeast–northwest alignment through the center of the borough, including a short concurrency with US 209 Business.

Stroudsburg is served by MCTA's Blue, Yellow, and Red Routes.

PPL Corporation and FirstEnergy subsidiary Met-Ed both provide electricity to Stroudsburg.

[14][15][16][17] In the borough, the two companies' service areas overlap and they share utility lines, with the electric provider varying by home or business.

Originally, customers could not change the company that maintained the electric line that connected to the home or business, but in 2014, a ruling by the Pennsylvania Utility Commission allowed a business owner to change the owner of the line from Met-Ed to PPL Electric Utilities.

In contrast with its past, Stroudsburg borough is now solidly Democratic, voting for President Joseph R. Biden by over 35 percentage points.

Former Mayor Tarah Probst (D) resigned from the office after winning a seat in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections.

[25] In December 2022, the City Council appointed Michael Moreno (D) to the office of mayor to fill the remainder of Probst's term, which runs through the 2023 municipal elections.

During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 6b, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −4.8 °F (−20 °C).

Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow occur once every couple of years, particularly during nor’easters from December through February.

The plant hardiness zone is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −4.8 °F (−20 °C).