The City of Painesville is one of 23 municipalities in Lake County in northeast Ohio.  Covering 7.903 square miles, the City of Painesville is bounded on the north by the Villages of Grand River and Fairport Harbor; on the east by Painesville township; on the south by Concord township; and on the west by the City of Mentor.  Painesville is located 30 miles east of the City of Cleveland and approximately 2.5 miles south of Lake Erie.

According to the 2000 Census, the City of Painesville is the fourth largest municipality in Lake County, following the cities of Mentor (50,278 residents), Willoughby (22,621), and Eastlake (20,255).  It is also the seat of Lake County government.