Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Neckar-Odenwald, Hohenlohe, Schwäbisch Hall, Rems-Murr, Ludwigsburg, Enz, Karlsruhe and Rhein-Neckar.

In 1938, it was recognized as a district, and in addition to the previous Oberamt, parts of the dissolved Oberämter Neckarsulm, Brackenheim, Marbach and Besigheim were added.

Within the following two years 5 municipalities were incorporated into the city and therefore left the district, which got its current borders in 1975.

The western part of the district belongs to the landscape Kraichgau, the east to the Hohenloher Ebene, Kocher-Jagst-Ebene, and the Löwensteiner Berge.

The coat of arms shows a clawless eagle, the symbol of the Counts of Lauffen, who ruled the area of the district in the 13th century.