The district surrounds the city of Darmstadt proper. Neighbouring districts include Offenbach to the north, Gross-Gerau to the west, Bergstrasse to the south-west and Odenwaldkreis to the south-east.
The district encircles Darmstadt, with neighboring areas including Offenbach to the north, Gross-Gerau to the west, Bergstrasse to the southwest, and Odenwaldkreis to the southeast.