The littoral zone plays an important role in maintaining species diversity, intercepting land-based pollutants, and purifying water bodies. In recent years, the water pollution of Lake Hongze has become increasingly serious, and its littoral zone is facing great threats such as reclamation, aquaculture and sediment deposition. To better understand the spatial pattern of littoral zooplankton communities in the Lake Hongze, the density, biomass and species composition, diversity and dominant species of littoral zooplankton communities were explored, and their relationship with environmental factors were analyzed using statistical analysis including principal component analysis, redundancy analysis and variance decomposition. Results showed that the average abundance of zooplankton was 821.65 ind./L, and an average biomass of 1247.75 μg/L. The zooplankton in the west of Lake Chengzi has higher biodiversity and biomass comparing to the estuary of the Huaihe River and the eastern lakeshore. The principal component analysis and redundancy analysis show that total dissolved phosphorus, suspended solids, chlorophyll-a, COD, dissolved organic carbon, coverage of waterweeds, pH, dissolved oxygen, and disturbance of wind waves were key environmental factors in the littoral zone, which were closely related to the spatial distribution patterns of rotifer species. The variance decomposition results reveal that rotifers are mainly affected by water chemical factors and their interactions with food. Cladocera is affected by physical habitat factors such as water depth, turbidity and suspended solids. The phosphate, pH and the interactions of hydrochemistry features and disturbance of wind waves as well as suspended solids had significant effects on Copepods community. The diversity index was mainly affected by the interaction of hydrochemical factors, physical habitat factors and food. Therefore, strengthening the ecological environment protection and comprehensive management of the littoral zone of Lake Hongze is of great significance to maintain the stability of the plankton community structure.