It has a population of 1,774 as of 2021, and is made up of fifteen villages: Baba, Butești, Dârlești, Fericet, Giurgiuț, Horea, Măncești, Mătișești, Niculești, Pătrușești, Petreasa, Preluca, Teiu, Trifești, and Zânzești.

Horea commune belongs to the Țara Moților ethnogeographical region.

Part of the Apuseni Natural Park lies on the administrative territory of the commune.

It is crossed by national road DN1R [ro], which joins Albac, 7.3 km (4.5 mi) to the south, to the town of Huedin, 73 km (45 mi) to the north.

In 2014, Școala Superioară de Aviație Civilă Flight 111 crashed in deep snow, on a hillside 3.6 km (2.2 mi) northeast of the village of Petreasa, at an altitude of approximately 1,400 m (4,600 ft).