Another possible source of the borough's name is that the area, which used to be located within the township of Baldwin, was known as Whitehall Driving Park.

A petition was filed on October 14, 1946, in the Quarterly Sessions of Allegheny County, with 1320 signatures out of the 1627 freeholders in the proposed borough.

[4][6] According to former mayor Edwin F. Brennan, residents of Whitehall wanted better services and zoning than they received under the jurisdiction of the township.

[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), all land.

Whitehall has five borders, including the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Overbrook to the north, Brentwood to the northeast, Baldwin to the south and east, Bethel Park to the southwest, and Castle Shannon to the northwest.

[10] A large swimming pool, wading pool, four tennis courts and community room are provided at the municipal complex, as well as the Whitehall public library, which has a Hennen American Public Library 90th percentile Rating (HAPLR), making it one of the top 25 in the state.

The private South Hills Country Club provides golf, swimming, dining and social activities.

Whitehall is named one of the two "Most Livable Communities" in Metropolitan Pittsburgh by PHH Technologies Services, a company that advises corporations on employee relocations.

Also located within the borough are the following schools: Pennsylvania Route 51, a major area artery, delivers traffic from and through Whitehall to downtown Pittsburgh.