Wassenberg is the town to the north of Heinsberg, Hückelhoven to the east, Waldfeucht and Gangelt to the west, and Geilenkirchen to the south.

Lordship of Heinsberg 1085–1484 Duchy of Jülich-Berg 1484–1794, part of: United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg 1521–1614 Palatinate-Neuburg 1614–1685 Electoral Palatinate 1685–1794, part of: Electorate of Bavaria 1777–1794 French Republic 1794–1804 French Empire 1804–1815 Kingdom of Prussia 1815–1871 German Empire 1871–1918 Weimar Republic 1918–1933 Nazi Germany 1933–1945 Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949 West Germany 1949–1990 Germany 1990–present Due to its proximity to the Benelux countries, sufficient industrial park areas, low trade tax and good traffic connections, Heinsberg has good prerequisites for development.

[3] As of 2015[update], there is an hourly service from Heinsberg station to Lindern, which continues to Aachen Hbf.

It is served by buses to several towns and villages in the district, including Erkelenz, Geilenkirchen, Wegberg, Gangelt, Waldfeucht and Selfkant-Tüddern.

Heinsberg was an early centre for the COVID‑19 pandemic and was selected for an intensive study of the disease and its transmission characteristics in late‑March 2020.