Based on the realistic background of resolute victory in poverty alleviation,using rural household samples of 2018 China Family Tracking Survey (CFPS),this paper explores the impact of labor endowment on the relative poverty of rural households,and uses the mediating effect model to verify the role of nonagricultural employment in the influence mechanism. The research shows that 22.8% of rural household samples are in relative poverty in terms of income. Labor endowment has a significant impact on the relative poverty of rural households,and the impact of different endowment characteristics is heterogeneous. Among them,the quantity of labor has a significant positive impact on the occurrence of relative poverty in rural households while quality characteristics such as labor’s education level and health status show a significant negative impact. Nonagricultural employment plays an intermediary role in the mechanism of labor endowment on rural relative poverty. Therefore,this paper suggests establishing a longterm mechanism to solve the relative poverty in rural areas,encouraging the development of rural household human capital,moderately increasing nonagricultural employment opportunities,and setting up a relative poverty identification system and corresponding policy support system for rural vulnerable groups.