Abstract: The development status of pollution-intensive industries provides insights into the "green development" of urban areas. This study examines the spatial pattern evolution and transfer characteristics of the pollution-intensive industries in 64 cities along the main and tributary streams of the Yangtze River during 2000-2020, using industrial output and geographic location data. The major findings are as follows: (1) the proportion of pollution-intensive industry output in gross industrial output declined gradually, particularly for the negative growth rate from 2015 to 2020, indicating a transition and adjustment in the industrial structure; (2) the pollution-intensive industries exhibited significant transfer and spread from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River to the middle and upper reaches, with tributary cities serving as primary destinations for the industrial transfer; although the pollution-intensive industries were generally concentrated in certain areas the degree of concentration showed a fluctuating decline over time. (3) the spatial layout evolution of the pollution-intensive industries along the main and tributary streams of the Yangtze River was primarily driven by industrial structure, openness, labor costs, and infrastructure.