Cropland　abandonment　has　long　been　recognized　as　a　marginalization　process　in　rural　regions　but　recently　also　as　a　precursor　to　urbanization　in　peri-urban　regions.　This　study　aimed　to　evaluate　the　relative　importance　of　urbanization　and　poor　productivity　in　cropland　abandonment.　A　thorough　investigation　was　conducted　on　345　cities/towns　at　the　prefecture　level　or　higher　in　China　using　500-m　annual　maps　for　2003–2016.　Cropland　abandonment　was　spatiotemporally　coupled　with　the　urbanization.　At　a　national　scale,　approximately　0.55%　of　the　total　cropland　area　(approximately　862　km2　per　year)　has　been　abandoned.　Cropland　abandonment　increased　significantly　until　2009,　declined　in　the　early　2010s,　and　then　leveled　off　in　recent　years.　In　particular,　the　new　first-tier　cities　suffered　the　greatest　abandonment　per　capita.　However,　cropland　abandonment　was　increasingly　shifted　to　lower-tier　cities,　particularly　the　high-quality　cropland　abandonment　in　the　medium-tier　cities.　Low-quality　cropland　in　rural　regions　of　the　medium-　and　lower-tier　cities　experienced　incessant　abandonment.　Results　showed　that　the　extent　of　cropland　abandonment　increased　with　city　sizes　described　either　by　population/GDP　or　by　built-up　area.　High-quality　cropland　abandonment　was　more　closely　related　to　the　built-up　area　than　to　population　and　GDP　for　total　abandonment.　Urbanization-induced　abandonment　in　peri-urban　areas　was　dominant　for　most　cities,　with　exceptions　only　for　a　few　small　cities.　Contrary　to　expectation,　cropland　abandonment　for　most　cities/towns　in　rural　regions　was　not　more　driven　by　poor　productivity,　compared　to　peri-urban　regions.　Our　study　highlights　that　urbanization　mainly　accounted　for　the　regional　differences　in　cropland　abandonment　in　China　during　the　past　two　decades.　©　2020　John　Wiley　&　Sons,　Ltd.