As municipal seat, the city of Santiago Tianguistenco is the local governing authority for almost sixty other named communities with a combined territory of 121.53km2. Less than a third of the municipality's population lives in the town proper. The municipality is bordered by the municipalities of Metepec, Capulhuac, Ocoyocac, Xalatlaco, Ocuilan, Joquicingo, Texcalyacac, Almoloya del Río, Santa Cruz Atizapan, San Antonio la Isla, Calimaya, Chapultepec and Mexicaltzingo with the Federal District to the east and the state of Morelos to the south.