Suburban　areas　are　the　transitional　zone　between　urban　and　rural　areas,　serving　as　key　areas　for　addressing　issues　related　to　urban　and　regional　sustainable　development.　In　this　study,　294　prefecture-level　cities　in　China　were　selected　as　research　objects.　The　spatial　heterogeneity　of　social,　economic,　and　natural　characteristics,　as　well　as　the　vitality　realization　of　suburbs　in　China,　was　quantitatively　analyzed　at　a　national　scale,　and　the　impact　of　socio-economic　and　natural　factors　on　the　realization　of　suburban　vitality　was　discussed.　The　results　show　that　China　has　large　suburban　areas,　with　431　km(2)　of　peri-urban,　1816　km(2)　of　mid-suburban,　and　5384　km(2)　of　outer-suburban　areas,　respectively.　However,　the　suburban　areas　in　China　exhibit　significant　spatial　heterogeneity　(p　＜　0.001),　with　larger　areas　mainly　located　in　the　northeast　and　north.　The　vitality　of　the　peri-suburban,　mid-suburban,　and　outer-suburban　areas　exhibits　spatial　clustering　(p　＜　0.001),　with　corresponding　global　Moran＇s　I　values　of　0.292,　0.272,　and　0.380,　respectively.　The　suburban　areas　with　high　vitality　are　mainly　clusters　in　the　southeast　coastal　regions,　and　the　farther　a　suburban　area　is　from　the　built-up　areas,　the　lower　its　vitality.　Various　socio-economic　and　natural　factors　have　different　impacts　on　suburban　vitality.　The　key　negative　factors　are　the　proportion　of　agricultural　land　and　elevation,　while　the　positive　factors　are　the　density　of　points　of　interest　(POIs)　and　the　proportion　of　built-up　areas.　Finally,　we　discuss　the　causes　of　spatial　heterogeneity　of　suburban　vitality　in　China　and　the　pathways　to　enhance　it.　This　study　provides　a　scientific　reference　for　the　sustainable　development　of　the　urban-rural　transition　zones　in　other　regions　and　countries　in　the　world.