The city was originated when a farm was constructed at the end of the 17th century. It became a parish in 1718, a municipality in 1788 and is a city since 1856. The city is now the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lorena.
Its main business areas are industry, services and agro-business.
It is also a highlight in region due to its three colleges, including areas from human to exact sciences.
People of things who come from or inhabit in Lorena are called "lorenense".
According to the 2010 IBGE Census, the population was 82,553, of which 80,182 are urban and 2,371 are rural. The average life expectancy for the municipality was 70.64 years. The literacy rate was at 94.13%.