<p>This study employs data from the China Family Panel Studies to construct a staggered difference-in-difference (DID) method, examining the impact of <i>hukou</i> (household registration) system reforms on rural household development resilience. The key findings are as follows: (1) <i>Hukou</i> system reforms significantly enhance rural household development resilience, increasing it by an average of 0.42%. (2) Mechanism analysis reveals that <i>hukou</i> system reforms strengthen rural household development resilience through two paths: facilitating upward mobility and mitigating downward risks. (3) The effects of <i>hukou</i> system reforms exhibit heterogeneity. Regarding household characteristics, the impact is more pronounced for households with with migrant workers. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the reforms have a stronger effect in regions with a higher proportion of primary industry employees. This study not only reveals the mechanism through which <i>hukou</i> system reforms influence the development resilience of rural households, but also provides important practical insights into how these reforms can be better leveraged to promote the sustainable development of rural households.</p>