Whiteville was founded in the early 1800s as a trading post, and was formally incorporated in 1901.The town and its economy grew primarily through cotton production.

Tennessee State Route 100 runs east from Whiteville 30 miles (48 km) to Henderson.

State Route 179 runs north from the center of Whiteville 15 miles (24 km) to Interstate 40 at Willis.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Whiteville has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.1 km2), all land.

[8] The town is drained by the headwaters of Hickory Creek, which flows north to the Hatchie River.

The initial results of the 2020 United States census listed 2,606 people, 289 households, and 203 families residing in the town.