<p>Sustainable and balanced development in the rural areas of the southern coastal provinces of Iran is of paramount importance. These regions, characterized by high biodiversity and reliance on agriculture and fisheries, require strategic resource management to prevent environmental degradation while simultaneously creating job opportunities and improving infrastructure, thereby strengthening the cultural identity of residents. To plan for balanced development, it is essential to assess the status of these areas using comprehensive sustainable development indicators. To do this, the relative status of rural areas in the southern coastal provinces, including Bushehr, Sistan and Baluchestan, Khuzestan, and Hormozgan, was examined using indicators derived from expert opinions and literature. The secondary data were collected from official national statistical sources, including the Statistical Center of Iran and the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad. Provinces were ranked using the TOPSIS method, with criteria weighting determined by Shannon entropy. The results of this study indicated regarding economic indicators, the Khuzestan and Hormozgan provinces ranked first and second, respectively. For social indicators, Khuzestan and Bushehr provinces held the top positions, while in terms of environmental indicators, Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan, provinces ranked first and second. In terms of aggregated indicators, Khuzestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan, and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces were ranked first to fourth, respectively. Based on the results of this study, addressing environmental issues in Khuzestan should be prioritized within sustainable development objectives. Additionally, the unfavorable standing of Sistan and Baluchestan province in social and economic indicators highlights the urgent need for targeted policy interventions.</p>