Wągrowiec is a town located in west-central Poland. It is situated approximately 50 kilometres from both Poznań and Bydgoszcz. Geographically, the town lies within the Chodzież lake area and the ethnographic and historical region of Pałuki in Greater Poland. It is positioned along the river Wełna and its tributaries, the Nielba and Struga, as well as on the shores of Durów Lake.
Administratively, Wągrowiec serves as the seat of a powiat and is part of the Wągrowiec County within the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The town has held this status as a county seat since the 18th century.