Stamford is home to nine Fortune 500 companies as of 2019,[7] as well as numerous divisions of large corporations.[8][9][10] This gives Stamford the largest financial district in the New York metropolitan region outside New York City itself and one of the largest concentrations of corporations in the United States. Dominant sectors of its economy include financial services, tourism, information technology, healthcare, telecommunications, transportation, and retail.[11] Its metropolitan division is home to colleges and universities including UConn Stamford and Norwalk Community College.

Stamford is situated near the southwestern point of Connecticut, on Long Island Sound; it is part of the Gold Coast. Stamford is composed of approximately 45 distinct neighborhoods and villages, and two historic districts,[24] including Cove, East Side, Downtown, North Stamford, Glenbrook, West Side, Turn Of River, Waterside, Springdale, Belltown, Ridgeway, Newfield, South End, Westover, Shippan, Roxbury, and Palmers Hill.

The city has islands in Long Island Sound: Cove Island, Grass Island, Greenway Island, Jack Island, and Cuties Island (also known as Vincent Island). Cove Island is a prominent beach and recreation area. It lies approximately 9 miles from Norwalk.