Abstract: Exploring the distribution pattern and obstacles of rural development potential under different functional zoning is of great significance for optimizing the implementation of major functional zoning and promoting differentiated rural development. Taking Lin'an District of Hangzhou City as an example, this study used multi-source data to comprehensively evaluate rural development potential from three dimensions, including rural development capacity, development vitality, and ecological carrying capacity. Spatial auto-correlation analysis and obstacle degree model were further used to analyze the structural differences, spatial patterns, and obstacle factors of rural development potential in different major functional zones. The results showed that: (1) The overall rural development potential in the study area showed a decreasing trend from urbanization potential areas and urbanization advantage areas to ecological economic areas and key ecological areas. High-value agglomeration areas were distributed in blocks around the core villages and towns in various functional zones, while low-value agglomeration areas were mainly distributed along the northern and southern boundary areas; (2) The three dimensions of rural development potential had varying degrees of spatial differences and spatial agglomeration in various major functional zones. The synergistic effect of the three dimensions of rural development potential in urbanization advantage areas and key ecological areas were stronger than that in urbanization potential areas and ecological economic areas; (3) The obstacles to the rural development potential in different major functional zones showed a convergence trend. Four indicators including rural information flow, rural industrial economic output value, logistics, and forest land transfer rate were the public barrier factors for rural development potential in all the major functional zones. Certain factors including per capita cultivated land, shopping convenience, and public transportation accessibility had important impacts on the rural development potential in different major functional zones. These results contributed to the enrichment of the connotation and measurement methods of rural development potential, and could provide decision-making references for differentiated formulation of rural revitalization strategies.