China　is　experiencing　a　stage　of　rapid　urban　development.　The　energy　consumption　and　related　carbon　dioxide　emissions　of　households　continue　to　increase.　This　paper　calculates　direct　and　indirect　carbon　dioxide　emissions　of　households　based　on　the　input　output　method　in　China　from　1996　to　2012.　The　results　reveal　that　there　were　more　total　carbon　dioxide　emissions　from　urban　households　than　from　rural　households,　far　more　indirect　emissions　from　urban　households　than　from　rural　households,　slightly　more　direct　emissions　from　urban　households　than　from　rural　households,　and　differences　in　direct　carbon　dioxide　emissions　from　various　fuels　and　in　indirect　emissions　from　various　sectors　between　urban　and　rural　households.　To　examine　the　causal　relationship　between　urbanization　and　the　carbon　dioxide　emissions　of　households,　cointegration　and　Granger　causality　tests　are　applied.　A　unidirectional　causal　relation　was　found　running　from　urbanization　to　both　direct　and　indirect　household　carbon　dioxide　emissions,　and　the　direct　and　indirect　carbon　dioxide　emissions　of　households　would　increase　2.9%　and　1.1%,　respectively,　for　every　increase　of　one　percent　in　urbanization.　We　discuss　the　reasons　of　why　the　development　of　urbanization　will　lead　to　more　household　direct　and　indirect　carbon　dioxide　emissions,　and　suggest　certain　policy　implications　for　urbanization　and　carbon　dioxide　emissions　based　on　the　results　of　this　study.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.