<p>As an important city in northern China and a key node of the ecological security barrier, Hohhot is affected by multiple superimposed factors, including the climate, dust storms, heating in winter, rapid urbanization and industrial transformation. Air quality of Hohhot exhibits significant spatio-temporal variation. Therefore, revealing the seasonal differences, spatial distribution characteristics and multi-factor driving mechanisms of air quality in Hohhot is of great significance for urban development transformation and regional sustainable development. The spatio-temporal variation of air quality in Hohhot from 2015 to 2023 was investigated, then the environment-economy-urban driving factors were analyzed using spearman correlation analysis, grey correlation degree analysis and entropy weight method. The results indicated that air quality index (AQI) of Hohhot showed a improvement trend from 87 to 82 during 2015–2023 (decrease rate 5.75%), and the optimal AQI appeared in 2018 (AQI 66). PM10, PM2.5, CO, SO₂ and NO₂ presented the “high in winter and low in summer” and “high in heating season and low in non-heating season” characteristics, however, O₃ presented the “low in winter and high in summer” and “high in non-heating season and low in heating season” characteristics. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO₂ and SO₂ showed positively correlation; O₃ showed negatively correlated with PM2.5, PM10, CO and SO₂, but positively correlated with NO₂ (<i>R</i> = 0.14). The largest positively correlations were PM2.5/PM10 (<i>R</i> = 0.95), PM10/SO₂ (<i>R</i> = 0.90), and SO₂/CO (<i>R</i> = 0.86) was, and the largest negatively correlations were AQI/O₃ (<i>R</i> = -0.36) and PM10/O₃ (<i>R</i> = -0.36). Spearman correlation coefficient showed that the AQI was positively correlated with environmental pollution emission factors, but negatively correlated with economic growth index factors and urban development index factors. The largest negatively correlations were economic growth index factors (proportion of tertiary industry, <i>R</i> = -0.69; per capita GDP, <i>R</i> = -0.69; GDP, <i>R</i> = -0.69) and urban development index factors (urban green area, <i>R</i> = -0.69). Grey correlation degree analysis showed that urban green area (urban development index factor) and proportion of tertiary industry (economic growth index factor) exhibited the highest correlation degree, and the <i>R</i> values were 0.77 and 0.71, respectively. Entropy weight analysis showed that the urban development index factor has the greatest correlation (urban green area, <i>W</i> = 10.63%). The normalization presented economic growth index factors represented the most important contributors to air quality improvement, Hohhot has achieved a win‑win situation between air quality improvement and economic development. The results can provide theoretical basis and data support for northern cities to scientifically formulate air pollution prevention and control policies, optimize urban development models, and promote the coordinated development of the ecological environment and the economy and society.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>