The rapid development of digital finance has shown significant advantages, particularly in preventing rural households from falling back into poverty and promoting high-quality rural economic development. Enhancing the economic resilience of rural households is a key goal of China’s rural economic development. This study, based on data from the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) from 2015 to 2019, employs the dynamic welfare function estimation method to measure economic resilience indicators of rural households. It constructs a panel fixed-effects model to empirically analyze the direct impact mechanism of digital finance on the economic resilience of rural households. Additionally, this study uses a mediation effects model to examine the indirect roles of agricultural total factor productivity, risk-bearing capacity, and social capital in enhancing rural households" economic resilience through digital finance. It also analyzes the heterogeneous impact of digital finance on different rural households from the perspective of the digital divide. The results show that: 1) Digital finance significantly promotes the economic resilience of rural households; 2) Agricultural total factor productivity, risk-bearing capacity, and social capital play important mediating roles in the impact of digital finance on the economic resilience of rural households; 3) Heterogeneity analysis indicates that even in the presence of a digital divide, rural households with higher levels of smartphone use, higher network communication spending, and higher financial literacy benefit more significantly from digital finance in terms of economic resilience. Based on these findings, this study provides a theoretical and empirical basis for formulating relevant policy recommendations, suggesting that the popularization and application of digital finance should be strengthened, especially in rural areas, to enhance the economic resilience of rural households and promote sustainable rural development.