This　study　explores　the　efficiency　of　China＇s　urban　development　under　carbon　emission　constraint　from　1996　to　2017.　Firstly,　it　uses　the　Defense　Meteorological　Satellite　Program＇s　Operational　Linescan　System　(DMSP-OLS)　and　Suomi　National　Polar-Orbiting　Partnership　Visible　Infrared　Imaging　Radiometer　Suite　(NPP-VIIRS)　nightlight　imaging　to　evaluate　the　carbon　dioxide　emission　levels　of　249　cities　in　China.　Then,　it　utilises　the　epsilon-based　measure　(EBM)　superefficiency　model　and　Global　Malmquist–Luenberger　(GML)　index　to　evaluate　the　urbanization　efficiency　and　changes　in　the　total　factor　productivity　(TFP)　of　urban　development　of　the　249　cities　under　carbon　emission　constraints.　Results　show　that　from　1996　to　2017,　the　total　carbon　emissions　of　the　249　cities　grew　during　a　rapid　development　stage,　while　the　efficiency　of　urban　development　under　carbon　emission　constraints　showed　fluctuation　and　did　not　increase　significantly.　The　redundant　improvement　values　of　government　fiscal　expenditure,　urban　employees,　urban　fixed　asset　investment,　foreign　direct　investment,　and　carbon　emission　increased　in　fluctuations.　From　the　regional　spatial　perspective,　the　urbanization　efficiency　of　western　China　was　the　highest,　followed　by　the　northeast　region,　the　central　region,　and　finally　the　eastern　region.　In　addition,　the　driving　factors　of　TFP　of　urbanization　in　China　have　improved　as　a　whole.　The　application　of　nightlight　imaging　data　and　EBM　superefficiency　model　improves　the　accuracy　of　urban　development　efficiency　measurement.　The　findings　of　this　study　can　provide　a　scientific　basis　for　different　regions　and　cities　of　different　sizes　to　formulate　carbon　emission　reduction　strategies,　and　have　important　policy　value　for　improving　urban　development　efficiency　in　China.　In　addition,　the　research　of　index　system　should　be　deepened　to　further　improve　the　measurement　accuracy.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd