Shigu District derives its name from Shigu Mountain and Shigu Academy located within its territory. Situated in the northwest of Hengyang City's urban area, it spans latitudes 26^o;54′00″~27^o;01′13″ N and longitudes 112^o;31′40″~112^o;38′59″ E. To the east, it faces Zhuhui District across the Xiang River; to the south, it borders Yanfeng District along Jiefang Avenue; to the west, it adjoins Zhengxiang District and Hengyang County via the Zhengshui Bridge on Zhengxiang North Road and follows the Zhengshui River upstream; to the north, it neighbors Zhangmu Township and Jibing Town of Hengyang County. The district measures a maximum width of 12 kilometers east-west and a maximum length of 13.3 kilometers north-south, covering a total land area of 112 square kilometers.This includes 28.07 square kilometers of arable land, 34.67 square kilometers of forested land, 13.33 square kilometers of aquaculture water areas, and 17.06 square kilometers of urban built-up area.

Shigu District is located at the commercial, cultural, and political center of Hengyang City.It has always been densely populated, but the distribution of urban and rural populations is highly uneven. The registered population is 191,900, while the permanent resident population is 217,616. The natural population growth rate is -0.65‰. Shigu District administers Jiaoshan Town, Huangshawan Subdistrict, Hejiang Subdistrict, Wuyi Subdistrict, Renmin Subdistrict, Qingshan Subdistrict, Xiaoxiang Subdistrict, and Jinyuan Subdistrict, comprising 1 town and 7 subdistricts. It has 15 villagers' committees and 37 residents' committees. Jiaoshan Town comprises 1 community and 6 villages: Yangling Community, Jiaoshan, Qianjin, Heping, Limin, Sanxing, and Xudong Villages. Huangshawan Subdistrict comprises 4 communities and 6 villages: Guangming, Jingbu, Yanqihu, and Xiashendu Communities, and Tuanjie, Songmu, Songmei, Qingshi, Zhaoyang, and Lingguanmiao Villages. Renmin Subdistrict comprises 4 communities: Renmin Road, Xiangbei, Xiangyang, and Zhongyang Communities. Qingshan Subdistrict comprises 6 communities: Qingshan Street, Niujiaoxiang, Xihuyi Village, Xihu'er Village, Xihu New Village, and Chuan Shan Road Communities. Xiaoxiang Street comprises 7 communities: Shigu, Siqian, Changqing, Zhengshui, Sangyuan, Yanwuping, and Hechi Road communities. Mayi Street comprises 6communities and 1 village: Caoqiao, Jianshe New Village, Yangjiaping, Laiyan Pagoda, Panhu Road, Wangcheng Road Communities, and Jianshe Village. Hejiang Subdistrict comprises 5 communities and 2 villages: Baishuzui, Hejiangtao, Jiangyan, Wulipai, Qilijing Communities, and Wuyi and Jiangxia Villages. Jinyuan Subdistrict comprises 4 communities: Jinyuan, Jinlan, Sanli, and Xin'an Communities.

The predominant ethnic group within the district is the Han Chinese, with Han and ethnic minorities accounting for 99.5% and 0.5% of the total population respectively. Religions practiced include Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, and others. Key religious sites include the Catholic church on Caohou Street, with a built-up area of 1,866 square meters, and three Christian gathering points.