Kärrtorp neighbours Bagarmossen, Skarpnäcks gård (subdistrict Pungpinan), Enskededalen, Gamla Enskede in the Enskede-Årsta-Vantör borough, Hammarbyhöjden, Björkhagen, and the nature reserve Nackareservatet in Nacka municipality.

Nynäsvägen goes north towards Södra Länken and the city centre, and south towards the outer suburbs and eventually Nynäshamn.

In December 2013, armed members the neo-Nazistic Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR) attacked an anti-racist demonstration.

The following week, a bigger demonstration was set up as a reaction to the attack, attracting an estimate of 16,000 attendees.

While the centre-right Alliance for Sweden earned a majority in Stockholm, they were behind the red-greens in both Kärrtorp and Skarpnäck borough.