Startforth Rural District is a former rural district in the Pennines of northern England. It is traditionally part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, but for administrative and ceremonial purposes was transferred to Teesdale district in County Durham in 1974.

It comprises the area south of the River Tees between Cow Green Reservoir and Gainford, and north of the modern border between County Durham and North Yorkshire.

The area is hilly and fairly sparsely populated. Places within it include:

Villages

• Barningham
• Boldron
• Bowbank
• Bowes
• Brignall
• Cotherstone
• Gilmonby
• Grassholme
• Greta Bridge
• Hutton Magna
• Holwick
• Hunderthwaite
• Hury
• Lanehead
• Lartington
• Mickleton
• Ovington
• Romaldkirk
• Scargill
• Startforth
• Thringarth
• Wycliffe

Dales

• Baldersdale
• Deep Dale
• Lunedale
• Teesdale (south side only)

Reservoirs and lakes

• Balderhead
• Blackton
• Fish Lake
• Grassholme
• Hury
• Selset

Fells and moors

• Barningham Moor
• Bowes Moor
• Cotherstone Moor
• Cronkley Fell
• Holwick Fell
• Hope Moor
• Hunderthwaite Moor
• Lune Moor
• Mickle Fell
• Scargill High Moor
• Sleightholme Moor

Forests

• Lune
• Stainmore

Rivers and becks

• River Balder
• Deepdale Beck
• River Greta

Roads

• A66
• A67
• B6276
• B6277

The Pennine Way also passes through the area.