Abstract: In the background of rural revitalization, key central towns will serve as a powerful supplement to the county, and become important nodes for nearby farmers. In order to effectively play the concentrated and radiated role of key central towns, this paper is based on the time dimension and the spatial dimension, proceeds from the research on the development of small towns in Jiangsu Province, analyzes the development and evolution of key central towns in Jiangsu Province in the past 20 years, summarizes the evolution characteristics and the development law of key central towns in quantity change, space change, object change, and position change. Then it puts forward three proposals: adapting to development context and exploring the concept of multi-characteristic development of small towns, optimizing the spatial layout of key central towns based on value exertion, and strengthening cultivation to enhance the role of key central towns. At the same time, it is necessary to further improve the cultivation measures while integrated with the provincial territorial and spatial planning, and focus on the stability of cultivation objects, the continuity of cultivation policies, the differences in cultivation orientation, and carrying out different guidance which from job-giving to agglomeration strengthening and governance improving, fully enhancing the role of key central towns in county urbanization.