The commune is bordered by the communes of La Plaine-des-Palmistes, Saint-Benoît, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Philippe and Tampon; and by the Rivière de l'Est to the north.

Sainte-Rose is home to the first wind farm on the island, built in 2004.

Sainte-Rose features a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af), with substantial rainfall throughout the course of the year.

Its location on the eastern side of Réunion, (windward relative to the trade winds), makes it one of the wettest cities in the world, along with Cherrapunji, Quibdó, and López de Micay.

The village of Piton Sainte-Rose was partially destroyed by a lava flow in April 1977.