Neighboring municipalities are Kerteminde to the east, Faaborg-Midtfyn to the south, Assens to the west, and Nordfyn to the north.

The highest point in the municipality is Dyred Banke which is located at 123 m or 404 ft above sea level.

Before this reform, the list of neighboring municipalities were Langeskov to the east, Munkebo to the northeast, Otterup to the north, Søndersø, Vissenbjerg, and Tommerup to the west, and Broby and Årslev to the south.

Odense's mayor is Peter Rahbæk Juel [dk], representing the Social Democrats, since 1 January 2018.

The former mayor of Odense Municipality, Anker Boye, is a member of the Social Democratic Party.

He was re-elected in the 2009 election, forming a coalition with the Red–Green Alliance, the Socialist People's Party and the Social Democrats.

Denmark's famous author and poet Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense on 2 April 1805.

Museums honouring him have been created both in a house in the old part of Odense with a large collection of his works and belongings, and his childhood home, which is also located in the city.

Odense also has a museum honouring the classical composer Carl Nielsen, who was born in Nr.

[10] Plans to build the data center were first revealed by Fyens Stiftstidene in October 2016,[11][12] and confirmed by Facebook and Odense municipality in January 2017.

[15] Archeological excavations prior to building Tietgenbyen found a number of settlements from the bronze age.