As of October 2013, the district has an estimated population of 7,652 and an area of 79.59 km2.
Murayama County was an ancient place name in part of Dewa Province, occupying the area of modern Mogami, Nishimurayama, Higashimurayama and Kitamurayama districts.
Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the area Kitamurayama district was a complicated mosaic.
At that time, Kitamurayama District consisted of 2 towns and 105 villages.
With the establishment of the municipality system on April 1, 1889, the district was consolidated into 23 villages.