The majority of the area is residential and sits upon a bluff overlooking the river and the city skyline.

[3] The neighborhood is bordered on the south by the Mississippi River, to the east by the University of Minnesota and 15th Avenue Southeast, to the north by the railroad tracks that separate it from Como Neighborhood, and to the west by Central Avenue.

Although somewhat confusing to newcomers, the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood is considered part of Southeast Minneapolis, despite its seemingly centralized location within the city today.

Most of Marcy-Holmes sits within Ward 3, represented by Minneapolis City Council member Michael Rainville.

Marcy-Holmes is well known for its diverse community, its commercial districts, St. Anthony Main and Dinkytown, and its immediate proximity to the East Bank of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.