[Objective] The aim of this research was to examine the characteristics of land use change in central Binzhou City of Shandong Province so as to provide reference for the proper land planning and utilization.[Methods] Based on the Landsat images from 1996 to 2014, dynamic index, conversion matrix and spatial center of land use were used to quantitatively analyze the spatial-temporal change trend of land use in central area of Binzhou City.[Results] From 1996 to 2014, the average decrease rate of cropland was 3.63%/a, the increase rates of forestland, water body and construction land were 5.43%/a, 0.79%/a and 5.70%/a. The transferred-in area of forestland and water body was more than the transferred-out area. The transferred-in area of forestland reached the peak value in the period of 2005 to 2009, the transferred-in area of water body peaked in the period of 2001 to 2005. The spatial centers of cropland and construction land were respectively located on the southwest side and east side of the city square. The spatial center of cropland was moving away from city square toward the southwestern part. The spatial center of construction land was moving west toward the city square.[Conclusion] Cropland area decreased constantly, forestland and water body area decreased in the beginning and then increased, construction land area increased constantly in the central city. The major trend of land use change was the transfer from cropland to construction land. The implementations of hydraulic engineering and landscape engineering had great impacts on the transfers of forestland and water body. The spatial center movement of construction land was closely related to the development and construction of west urban area.