[4] Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Katsuura has been gradually decreasing over the past 70 years and is now less than it was a century ago.

During the Edo period, most of the area was tenryō under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate and administered by hatamoto retainers.

In August 1931 the English aviator Francis Chichester crashed his seaplane at Katsuura, hitting cables while doing a demonstration flight for the populace.

[7] Katsuura has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Chiba 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Katsuura is historically known as a fishing port, and currently has the second largest catch in Chiba Prefecture after Chōshi City.

Katsuura is home to small-scale sake production, and koshihikari rice, blueberries, kiwifruit, and shiitake mushrooms are also produced in the area.