Marzahn-Hellersdorf borders to the Berlin boroughs of Lichtenberg in the west and Treptow-Köpenick in the south as well as to the Brandenburg municipalities of Ahrensfelde in the north and Hoppegarten and Neuenhagen in the east.

Although the immigrant minority is relatively small, the borough has a higher concentration of Russia-born, Kazakhstan-born (e.g. Volga Germans) and Vietnamese people as compared to other parts of the city.

[2] Recently, there has been a significant influx of people with Middle Eastern and Muslim backgrounds.

The borough consists of five former villages which all became part of Greater Berlin in 1920: Each of the five districts the borough consists of originally came from one administrative district called "Landkreis Niederbarnim" and were incorporated into the city due to the establishment of Greater Berlin in 1920.

It has responsibility for passing laws and electing the city government, including the mayor.