Abstract: Using information visualization software, this paper takes the literature included in CNKI core journals and Web of Science as the research object, and divides the research of characteristic towns into three stages and summarizes its research characteristics based on industrial perspective. Further through the keyword LLR clustering, four hot spots in the research evolution process of characteristic towns are obtained:industrial agglomeration and economic development, industrial development bottleneck, industrial dilemma solution path, and new trend of characteristic towns research. Through the visualization results, it is found that the research on the formation mechanism, industrial connotation, dynamic mechanism and development path of characteristic towns has developed rapidly, but the theoretical depth of the research needs to be improved. Quantitative research on urbanization development, development level and quality evaluation of characteristic towns and sustainable development evaluation will become a new trend.