Beed district includes eleven talukas, namely Beed, Georai, Ashti, Patoda, Shirur (Kasar), Majalgaon, Dharur, Kaij, Ambajogai, Parli, and Wadwani. The main language spoken is Marathi, followed by Urdu, Hindi, and Lambadi. Beed's name has an interesting historical evolution. In ancient times, it was known as "Bhir," a name believed to have been given by Mohammad Tughlaq during his rule (perhaps because of constucting many wells in the region which were abundant until recent times; 'well' in Arabic is 'bhir', in Persion it is 'water'.). There's another idea that since the region is situated in the foot of Balaghat range, it was called 'Bil', which means 'hole' in Marathi.  Over time, due to linguistic adaptations and pronunciation changes, "Bhir" gradually evolved into "Beed."

Local legends from Ramayana relate Jatayu, the eagle, who attempted to stop Ravana during his abduction of Sita in his journey to Lanka, to Beed. Ravana severed Jatayu's wings, leaving the wounded bird to fall to the ground. When Rama arrived searching for Sita, Jatayu narrated what happened before dying. The site identified with Jatayu’s death is in Beed city, where the Jatashankar temple stands, possibly built by the Yadavas of Devagiri. Another tale claims Beed was called Durgavati during the era of the Pandavas and Kurus, who fought the legendary Mahabharata war.

Beed city still showcases its historical legacy through old city entry doors (Ves or Darwaza) and protection walls. Historically, Beed was influenced by various Deccan dynasties and was later part of the Hyderabad State until May 1, 1960, when it was incorporated into Maharashtra following a struggle between the Indian Government and Nizam soldiers (Razakars). Beed features several notable historic buildings. The Kankaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and surrounded by water, showcases distinctive stone architecture likely from the Yadava period. The Khandoba Temple, set on the eastern hills, is built in the Hemadpanti style and is flanked by two tall octagonal lamp towers. The Jama Masjid, built in 1627 during Mughal emperor Jahangir's rule, stands near the city fort and is one of the largest mosques in Beed, known for its unique domes and minarets. Beed is also home to historic Sufi tombs such as Shahinshah Wali's and Mansur Shah's, both important spiritual sites in the region

Beed is located in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and is characterized by its rocky and hilly terrain, particularly in Georai, Ashti, Ambajogai, Kaij, and Patoda talukas. It has a semi-arid climate and relies heavily on monsoon rains for agriculture, affecting local farming practices.

Currently, the economy is primarily agricultural, with a large number of sugarcane cutters migrating seasonally to other districts for work. Beed is also known for its unique custard apple (Sitaphal) cultivation. In 2016, Beed Custard Apple received the Geographical Indication (GI) status, making it the first Custard Apple from India to earn this recognition, thus boosting the local economy.