The impact of digital rural construction on nighttime economic vitality

As a key engine driving the high-quality development of agriculture and rural areas, digital rural construction plays a pivotal role in the structural extension of the nighttime economy from urban to rural areas. This study systematically examines the influence mechanism between digital rural construction and the prosperity of the nighttime economy by constructing a two-way fixed effects model, a threshold regression model, and a spatial Durbin model. The findings reveal the following three key insights: (1) the construction of digital rural facilities effectively drives the growth of the nighttime economy by reducing market transaction costs and fostering new consumption patterns, with this effect being particularly prominent in economically developed regions; (2) environmental quality and balanced urban–rural development exhibit nonlinear moderating effects on the enabling role of digital technologies, as when air pollution concentrations and the urban–rural income gap exceed specific thresholds, the marginal promotion effect weakens significantly; and (3) digital rural construction has a significant positive effect on the local nighttime economy, but its impact on nonlocal nighttime economies is insignificant. High-quality development of the nighttime economy can be promoted by balancing digital infrastructure, implementing differentiated environmental governance, and optimizing the urban–rural income distribution. This study provides a new theoretical perspective and research reference for rural economic prosperity in the era of the digital economy.