Research on the spatial-temporal change and intrinsic spatial correlation of metropolitan urban-rural integration zones can help cities to avoid inefficient sprawling development and achieve spatial structure coordination and smart growth. Taking the desakota region in Wuhan City as the case, we used the National Polar-Orbiting Partnership / Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP/VIIRS) nighttime light data to assess urban factor allocation and operational efficiency and effectiveness. This study then detected the spatial correlation intensity, spatial-temporal change of spatial connection potential, and the change of socioeconomic location index of the urban-rural integration areas during 2016-2018 using the gravity model. The results show that: 1) The desakota regions in Wuhan City have expanded by 28.10%, and sprawl most significantly to the northwest during 2016-2018. This process is characterized by the integration of small plaques and the enhancement of regional development continuity. 2) The spatial connection network structure among desakota regions in Wuhan tends to be polycentric, which originates from the changes of economic development levels, urbanization development scale, and traffic accessibility. Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone, Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City, Wuhan Airport Economic Zone and so on are the engine of regional development in a decentralized process. 3) The spatial correlation pattern of urban-rural integration areas in Wuhan has been transformed from the "large and small cores" structure consisted of Wuhong District and Jiangxia District to the "peripheral circle" structure composed of Jiangxia-Wuhong-Caihan-Jianghuang-Jiangqiaodong. The spatial connection intensities of desakoda regions have increased year by year, but Wuhong and Jiangxia Districts, as the core areas of Wuhan urban-rural integration area, failed to develop multi-directional spatial radiation and attractiveness, which led to insufficient positive effects to other areas. 4) The changes of socioeconomic location index of each urban-rural integration area show that the impact of existing Wuhan urban planning is more significant in the northern, western, and northeastern parts of urban-rural integration area.