Many　researchers　have　focused　on　inequalities　in　income　and　energy　consumption,　but　research　on　the　regional　disparities　in　natural　gas　consumption　(NGC)　is　insufficient,　which　presents　a　gap　about　the　development　of　informed　policies　for　sustainable　consumption.　Increasing　provincial　NGC　is　a　substantial　measure　to　improve　environmental　protection,　clean　production,　and　the　living　standards　of　local　citizens.　It　is　necessary　to　determine　the　leading　causes　of　inequality　in　gas　consumption　to　improve　the　NGC　in　China＇s　provinces.　To　fill　this　research　gap,　we　use　the　Gini　coefficient　and　Lorenz　curve　to　measure　NGC　inequality　and　apply　hierarchical　cluster　analysis　and　a　regression　model　with　Partial　R2　to　estimate　the　factors　of　provincial　NGC.　The　empirical　results　show　a　consistently　increasing　trend　in　China＇s　NGC　over　1997–2019,　which　has　not　been　accompanied　by　a　steady　decrease　in　inequality,　and　low　inequality　is　mainly　caused　by　several　major　natural　gas-consuming　provinces.　Further,　the　NGC　in　coastal　provinces　is　more　significantly　affected　by　GDP,　foreign　direct　investment,　and　financial　liberation,　and　the　impact　of　urbanization　level　and　population　on　provincial　NGC　has　different　patterns.　©　2024　The　Author(s)