In this paper, the content distributions and variations of phenolic acids in tobacco-planting soils with different altitudes, planting years, soil types and preceding crops in Liangpan region in Sichuan Province were studied. The results showed that tobacco-planting significantly increased the contents of soil phnolic acids with the variation coefficients all high than 50%, and the content of hydroxybenzoic acid was the highest (66.18 μg/g) among all monomer phenolic acids. The contents of phenolic acids (except ferulic acid and cinnamic acid) in tobacco-planting soil at the altitude of 1 600-2 000 m were higher than those of 1 200-1 600 m. However, the contents of phenolic acids in tobacco-planting soils were reduced (except for water soluble phenolic) when the altitude was over 2 000 m. The average content of phenolic acids in paddy soil was higher than those in purple soil and red soil. The average contents and variable coefficients of total and compound phenols in red soil in Renhe District were significantly higher than those in Yanyuan County, 10.23% and 20.51% higher, respectively. The average contents of phenolic acids were significantly higher in tobacco-planting soils than non-tobacco-planting soils, and the contents of phnolic acids increased with tobacco-planting years (with few exceptions including water soluble phenolic, benzoic acid (Huidong County) and cinnamic acid (Huidong County)). The average content of phenolic acids was higher in tobacco-planting soils without preceding crop (i.e., winter fallow), which promoted the accumulation of phenolic acids in soils. However, vicia villosa as preceding crop consumed phenolic acids and therefore reduced the accumulation of phenolic acids in tobacco-planting soil, especially for the total phenols, compound phenols and hydroxybenzoic acid. Overall, red soil at lower altitude with shorter planting years and vicia villosa as preceding crop could result in lower contents of phenolic acids, therefore, tobacco should be planted in red soils with vicia villosa as preceding crop in Liangpan region.