An approach is provided for hierarchical clustering of geographical data. The approach involves receiving a request to cluster geographical data by location. The geographical area is represented by a hierarchical tile projection comprising a plurality of zoom levels, and tiles of each of the zoom levels represent different respective scales of a corresponding portion of the geographical area. The approach also involves determining that the geographical data is located in a border area of a first tile at a higher zoom level of the hierarchical tile projection. The approach further involves recursively forwarding the geographical data for clustering at a lower zoom level of the hierarchical tile projection until the geographical data is not located in a border area of a second tile at the lower zoom level. The approach then involves initiating the clustering of the geographical data into a cluster located in the second tile at the lower zoom level.