Alvarado is bordered by Boca del Río, Tlalixcoyan, Medellín, Ignacio de la Llave, Ciudad Lerdo de Tejada, Tlacotalpan and Acula.

It lies in the so-called "Region Papaloapan" bordered on the south by the municipalities of Acula, Tlacotalpan and Lerdo de Tejada, on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and on the west by Ignacio de la Llave.

[1] The geographic size of Alvarado is 840 square kilometres (320 sq mi).

The locality started being known as San Cristóbal de Alvarado from 1600 onwards.

Major products of Alvarado are coffee, fruits, and sugar.