Aiming to reveal the coupling relationship between land use spatial autocorrelation patterns and natural—social—economic factors of Xiaolihe watershed located in loess hilly-gully region, the global and local spatial autocorrelation patterns of land use types were analyzed by the methods of Moran’s I, Moran scatter plot and Anselin local Moran’s I in the 500m×500m grid scale, meanwhile, the relationships between local cluster zones and the selected environmental factors were analyzed at the p<0.05 significant level based on GIS technology. The selected environmental factors included elevation, slope, aspect, water, roads and residential areas. The results showed that all land use types showed positive global spatial autocorrelation, but it was gradually decreased with the increase of distance. Within the distance of 32km, spatial attenuation intensity of autocorrelation of each land use type was different from the extension of distance. The spatial distribution of cultivated land and grassland showed significant HH (high value—high value) and LL (low value—low value) cluster trends, and that of garden land, forest land, construction land and unused land showed significant HH cluster trend. The HH cluster zones of grassland were mainly distributed in hills or mountains of the midstream and upstream watershed, the HH cluster zones of forest land were mainly distributed in gullies of the downstream watershed and mountains of the upstream watershed, and those of others were mainly distributed in wide loess ridges and wide river valleys of the downstream watershed. With the increase of elevation and slope, the areas of HH and LL cluster zones of each land use type were increased firstly and then decreased. The region, which was located in the elevation area of 1000~1300m, the slope area of 15°~25°, the sunny area and shady slope area, was the most diverse and concentrated area of HH cluster distribution of land use types. The HH cluster zones of construction land and forest land were mainly distributed in the elevation area of 1000~1100m, the HH cluster zones of cultivated land, garden land and unused land were mainly distributed in the elevation area of 1100~1200m, and those of grassland were mainly distributed in the elevation area of 1200~1300m. According to the average slope of HH cluster zones of each land use type in ascending order, the order was as follows: construction land, cultivated land, garden land, forest land, unused land and grassland. The HH cluster zones of construction land, garden land and cultivated land were mainly distributed in sunny area and semisunny area, in which the distribution area in sunny area was larger. The HH cluster zones of forest land and garden land were mainly distributed in shady slope area and sunny area, in which the distribution area in shady slope area was larger. With the increase of distance from water and roads, the areas of HH cluster zones of each land use type showed a declining trend except for unused land. With the increase of distance from residential areas, the areas of HH cluster zones of grassland were increased firstly and then decreased, and those of others showed a declining trend. The HH and LL cluster zones of each land use type were mainly distributed within the distance of 1.5km from water and roads as well as within the distance of 3km from residential areas. The areas of HH cluster zones of construction land, garden land and cultivated land were increased rapidly with the decrease of distance to water, roads and residential areas. Compared with HH cluster zones, the LL cluster zones of cultivated land were mainly distributed in the elevation area of greater than 1200m,and the average slope of the LL cluster zones was increased. The distribution area of the LL cluster zones of cultivated land in the sunny area was slightly larger than those in other aspects. The LL cluster zones of cultivated land were farther away from water and residential areas, and the areas of which were firstly increased and then decreased. While the LL cluster zones of grassland were mainly distributed in the elevation area of 1000~1200m and the slope area of 15°~35°, and the distribution area of the LL cluster zones in each aspect was similar. The LL cluster zones of grassland were closer to water, roads and residential area, and the areas of which showed a declining trend.