Urban districts had an elected urban district council (UDC), which shared local government responsibilities with a county council.

[1] Urban districts normally covered smaller towns, usually with populations of fewer than 30,000.

The number of urban districts initially increased after 1894 as more places sought urban powers, but implementation of the recommendations of a series of county reviews as established by the Local Government Act 1929 saw a net decrease of 159 between 1932 and 1938.

[1] At the same time, a number of larger urban districts became municipal boroughs (as already created, in 1835 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835): these had a slightly higher status and the right to appoint a mayor.

Many parish councils in England were created for towns previously covered by urban districts and, as a result of subsequent legislation, all urban and rural areas in Wales are today covered by 870 communities as sub-entities of 22 unitary authorities (or principal areas).