Until 1930 the rural district councillors were also poor law guardians for the unions of which they formed part.

Some rural districts had a more rounded shape and had a small town or village as the administrative centre.

In the Irish Free State, rural districts outside of County Dublin were abolished in 1925 under the Local Government Act 1925 amid widespread accusations of corruption.

[3] The former boundaries of the rural districts in the Republic of Ireland continue to be used for statistical purposes and defining constituencies.

Under Newfoundland's Local Government Act, rural districts and towns together formed the province's municipalities.

[6] Under the Municipalities Act, effective April 1, 1980, rural districts where abolished and automatically turned into towns.