Toride developed in the Edo period as a post-town on the Mito Kaidō highway connecting Edo with Mito and as a nexus for water-borne traffic on the Tone River; however, the name is thought to derive from an ancient fort constructed by Taira no Masakado in the Heian period.

The area was part of ancient Shimōsa Province, but was transferred to the newly created Ibaraki prefecture after the Meiji Restoration.

[4] On March 28, 2005, the neighboring town of Fujishiro (from Kitasōma District) was merged into Toride, nearly doubling its size.

[4] Toride has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 24 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.