Tarrazú is the number 5 canton of the province of San José. It is located in the Zona de los Santos, which is a mainly coffee producing area. According to the 2011 National Census, the population of the canton was 16,280 inhabitants, of which 5.8% were born abroad. The same census highlights that there were 4,551 occupied homes, of which 66.2% were in good condition and there were problems of overcrowding in 2.5% of the houses.50.3% of its inhabitants lived in urban areas. Among other data, the literacy level of the canton is 96.5%, with an average schooling of 6.7 years. The Pirrís River establishes most of the northern limit of the canton, which has a triangular shape.
From its three sides, the southern one runs through the mountain range of the coast that delimits its border with the parishes of Parrita and Aguirre. Meanwhile, its eastern boundary, is basically drawn with two imaginary straight lines and the Naranjo riverbed. Tarrazú has as its head the city of San Marcos. The city is located about 70 kilometers south of the capital San José, in a valley surrounded by mountains that are part of the Talamanca mountain range. The center of San Marcos is located at 1,400 meters above sea level, but is surrounded by peaks up to 3,000 meters in altitude.