The Yellow River Basin (YRB), characterized by fragile ecosystems and high concentration of resource-based cities, faced escalating resource depletion due to prolonged unsustainable exploitation, necessitating urgent transition toward green development. In response, the Chinese government implemented targeted policies to promote differentiated development strategies in resource-dependent regions. Within this context, this study examined spatiotemporal variations of eco-environmental quality (EEQ) and their driving forces from a spatial zoning perspective to support regional transition. This study categorized various types of resource-based cities into research clusters and analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns, evolutionary trends, and driving forces of EEQ across the study area and individual clusters using the EEQ index, Theil-Sen analysis, Mann-Kendall test, and random forest regression. The results showed that: (1) EEQ in the YRB generally improved, although significant disparities persisted among clusters. Mature and regenerative clusters demonstrated higher ecological quality than the basin average, while growth-oriented and declining clusters exhibited lower quality. (2) During the study period, growth-oriented and regenerative clusters experienced notable EEQ improvements, whereas mature clusters exhibited degradation. Dominant transformation pathways involved shifts from low-value to medium-low-value areas, and from medium-low-value to medium or medium-high-value areas. Additionally, this transformation highlighted the varying effectiveness of ecological governance measures across different urban clusters, emphasizing the necessity for tailored regional management strategies. (3) Temperature and precipitation were the primary driving forces of EEQ across both the entire study area and individual clusters, with slope gradient, soil type, and human activity intensity serving as secondary contributors. Furthermore, specific thresholds for optimal ecological enhancement were identified, such as distinct temperature ranges and precipitation levels, providing valuable insights for ecological management and policy implementation. The study further revealed that EEQ degradation in mature clusters reflected ecological risks inherent to resource-dependent development models, whereas improvements in EEQ values in growth-oriented and regenerative clusters demonstrated the efficacy of transition policies. The study provided a scientific basis for formulating more targeted ecological security objectives and transition policies tailored to different policy zones of resource-based cities, thereby facilitating regional coordinated development.