Heatwaves pose a substantial threat to public health, influenced not only by the severity and duration of the event but also by sociodemographic factors such as gender, age, education level, and economic status. While existing research has acknowledged vulnerability differences among various socio–demographic groups, few studies have systematically examined the disparities among these subgroups regarding heat exposure patterns, risk perception, and adaptive behaviors. This cross–sectional study analyzed questionnaire data from 562 Chinese respondents to examine socio–demographic disparities in heat exposure, risk perception, adaptive behaviors and media accessibility, employing nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U/Kruskal–Wallis/Chi–square tests) and logistic regression models. The findings show that outdoor workers exhibited 2.32 times greater exposure risks than indoor workers (p < 0.001), with men, middle–aged (the 40–49 age group) and low–educated individuals showing similarly higher exposure risk. High–income groups were 2.34 times using air conditioning frequently than low–income groups (p < 0.01), while men and low–educated individuals tend to underutilize sun protection and cooling centers despite higher exposure. Employed individuals exhibited both higher risk perception (p < 0.001) and greater media accessibility (p < 0.05) than unemployed populations. Based on the results, it is demonstrated that adaptive measures such as workplace protections, equitable access to cooling, and demographic–sensitive risk communication tailored to different groups can help to mitigate exposure risk. Future research should incorporate experimental data to validate these observational associations.