The red porgy is found in warm coastal waters on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. On the eastern side, its range extends from southern Britain to Western Sahara, including the waters around the Canary Islands and Madeira and the Mediterranean Sea; its range includes the Sea of Marmara but does not extend into the Black Sea. On the western side of the Atlantic, its range extends from the eastern coast of the United States southward to Argentina; it is present in the Gulf of Mexico and the western part of the Caribbean Sea but not the eastern part. Although it may go as deep as , it more commonly occurs at depths between , on continental shelves. It is a demersal species, being found over both rocky areas and areas with soft sediment; juveniles often inhabit beds of seagrass or sometimes enter lagoons.
