Hohenstein lies in the western Taunus, on both sides of the river Aar between Limburg and Wiesbaden.

Hohenstein’s Ortsteile are Breithardt (administrative seat), Burg-Hohenstein, Holzhausen über Aar, Strinz-Margarethä, Born, Hennethal and Steckenroth.

In 1184, Strinz-Margarethä had its first documentary mention, making it the earliest of Hohenstein’s constituent communities to have its name appear in the historical record.

In the course of municipal reform in Hesse, the current greater community of Hohenstein was founded out of the formerly self-governing communities of Breithardt, Hohenstein, Holzhausen über Aar, Strinz-Margarethä, Born, Hennethal and Steckenroth on 1 July 1972.

The constituent community of Hohenstein was thereafter known as Burg-Hohenstein (Burg means “castle” in German).