The Municipal District structure was established under the Local government Reform Act 2014, based on the recommendations of the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee set up for the 2014 local elections. The districts replace the earlier sub-county structure of town councils and local area committees. In Tipperary, the districts coincide with the electoral areas.

The Districts are not themselves legal entities, the county council being the corporate body. However, the members acting in district formation have certain powers relating to the running of their own meetings and with regard to operations and maintenance works within the district.

Thurles Municipal District is one of five within the county, the others being;

• Clonmel Borough District
• Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District
• Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District
• Nenagh Municipal District