Although　many　studies　have　focused　on　the　livability　and　satisfaction　of　the　human　settlement　environment　in　Chinese　cities,　few　have　paid　attention　to　the　vulnerability　of　human　settlements　in　urban　agglomerations　in　China　(VHSUAC).　The　analytic　hierarchy　process　and　the　entropy　method　are　combined　in　this　paper　to　comprehensively　weight　the　constructed　four-dimensional　evaluation　index　system.　Then,　we　identified　the　key　factors　influencing　VHSUAC.　Finally,　we　use　the　environmental　vulnerability　index　(EVI)　to　calculate　the　vulnerability　value　from　2008　to　2017　and　display　the　vulnerability　changes　over　time　and　space　using　ArcGIS　software.　The　results　show　that　(1)　from　the　perspective　of　temporal　pattern,　VHSUAC　showed　a　downward　trend　from　2008　to　2017,　but　the　degree　of　decline　in　each　urban　agglomeration　was　not　equal.　There　is　a　certain　difference　in　the　vulnerability　value　of　the　human　settlement　environment　between　the　urban　agglomeration　and　its　inner　cities,　and　their　direction　of　change　is　not　always　the　same.　(2)　From　the　perspective　of　spatial　pattern,　VHSUAC　has　obvious　regional　heterogeneity,　presenting　a　spatial　pattern　of　＇low　coastal　areas　and　high　inland　areas.＇　Coastal　urban　agglomerations　pay　more　attention　to　the　optimization　of　the　human　settlement　environment.　(3)　In　terms　of　influencing　factors,　the　vulnerability　values　of　the　four　system　indicators　are　listed　in　the　following　order:　economic　support　environment＞urban　ecological　environment＞public　service　environment＞urban　living　environment.　We　found　that　domestic　waste　and　sewage　treatment　have　a　more　obvious　impact　on　VHSUAC.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.