Objective This study analyzed the pattern and influence factors of lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal cancer to provide a reference for the lymph node dissection for esophageal cancer. Methods Clinical data of 177 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer receiving the lymph node dissection in our department from 2015 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 125 males and 52 females with a median age of 64 years, ranging from 18 to 86 years. We excluded cervical esophageal cancer and adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and analyzed the relationship between lymph node metastasis and tumor pathological type, depth of invasion, degree of differentiation and length. Results Of the 177 patients, 76 (42.9%) were found to have lymph node metastasis. In the 4 977 dissected lymph nodes, metastasis was identfied in 361 (7.3%) lymph nodes. The rate of lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal carcinoma was not related to the location and length of the tumor (P>0.05), but related to the depth of invasion and the degree of differentiation (P<0.05). Conclusion Lymph node metastasis is prone to present in the early stage of thoracic esophageal cancer. According to the characteristics of lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal carcinoma, we need have a standardized, systematic and focused lymph node dissection.