This study comprehensively investigated the occurrence, sources, and potential toxicity risks of 16 PAHs in main urban area surface soils of Changchun, northeast China. The 16 total PAHs (Σ₁₆PAHs) concentrations in surface soils decreased significantly along the commercial traffic district, industrial zone, residential zone, park zone, and outskirt farmland, ranging from 46.6 to 8870.8 ng/g, with a mean value of 1480.1ng/g and 4-ring PAHs were always the dominant constituents in all land used area soils. Based on ArcGIS mapping, higher concentrations of PAHs are mainly concentrated in the northeast region and the central historic district soils of Changchun city. Mixed pyrogenic sources and coal combustion were the dominant sources and contributed approximately 45% and 30% of the total soil PAHs, respectively. Toxicity risk assessment based on the toxic equivalent concentrations (BaP_eq) of soil PAHs indicated the potential toxicity risks detected in this study were relatively moderate compared with other global cities, while some special attention still should be paid to hotspots with high PAHs concentrations surrounding the commercial traffic area and industrial zone in the northeast pattern of Changchun city. This study could be potentially useful for local governments targeted to control toxicity exposure, promote actions to alleviate PAHs contamination.