Residents are found on all the larger islands closest to the coast that have fixed bridgess or ferry connections with road ferries, such as Vaxholm, Ingarö, Värmdö, Yxlan, Blidö, Ljusterö and Väddö, but also on many of the larger islands further out from the coast, as Ingmarsö, Möja, Runmarö, Nämdö, Ornö and Utö, which are served by passenger ships with fixed itineraries.

In the outer parts of the archipelago, the salinity reaches around 0.6–0.7 per cent by weight, to be compared with at least 1.5 for beginning to taste salty and around 3.0 or more for proper oceanic water.

In a north–south direction, it mainly follows the coastline of the Södermanland and Uppland provinces, reaching roughly from Öja island, south of Nynäshamn, to Väddö, north of Norrtälje.

The village of Ytterby, famous among chemists for naming no fewer than four chemical elements (erbium, terbium, ytterbium and yttrium), is situated on Resarö in the Stockholm Archipelago.

The combined farming and fishing culture lasted until around 1950–1955 when the younger generation, born during and directly after the war, started to leave the archipelago and look for jobs in the cities on the mainland.

Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from the group ABBA wrote most of their songs in a cabin located on the archipelago.

Visiting the larger islands in the archipelago is easy all year round, but during winter period the routes depend on the ice conditions.

In summer the archipelago bristles with private boats filled with people who often take advantage of Allemansrätt (or "everyman's right"), a law which gives anyone the right to go ashore or anchor on any ground not in the direct vicinity of buildings.