[Objective] The objective of this study is to discuss the regional difference of farmers' land use behavior affected by land-use control in order to provide references for farmers' land use behavior and improve land use efficiency and regulation.[Methods] We investigated 433 interviewees from the city (Chengdu City in Sichuan Province) where economic compensation for farmland protection has been started and the city(Wuhan City in Hubei Province) without economic compensation. Based on non-parametric and regress model, we analyzed the characteristics and its influencing factors of farmer land-use behavior from four different respects, including land-use desire, structure, intensity and land protection degree.[Results] (1) Household land-use behavior showed low land input intensity with low land-use willingness. Grain crops and economic crops were preferred, and the protection of farmland environment was ignored. (2) Farmers' land-use behavior showed significant regional differences. The participation rate of farmers' rural land transfer in Chengdu City was 12.61% higher than that of farmers in Wuhan City. (3) Farmers' individual and family characteristics, the degree of land-use control and regional factors had significant influences on farmers' land-use behavior.[Conclusion] Farmers' land-use behavior shows as a trend of polarization, and it is influenced by farmers' individual characteristics and regional differences.