Radionuclides, such as ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, can be found in urban soil. To evaluate the natural radioactivity in the environment, soil samples were collected form Shihezi city and radioisotope concentrations were determined by X-ray fluorescence. The dose rate of urban soil (mGy per year, mGy/a) was calculated. The results indicate that the U, Th and K concentrations of the urban soils were, respectively, 1.2–3.2 mg/kg, 6.4–12.3 mg/kg and 2.05%–2.24%, with the mean values of 2.47 mg/kg, 10.47 mg/kg and 2.16 %. Dose rates of urban soils were 10.04–19.55 mGy/a with the mean value of 16.31 mGy/a. This dose rate is the perfect and maximum value of natural radiation in soil and different with the air absorbed dose rate from terrestrial γ-rays. The mean value of air absorbed dose rate was about 57.42 nGy/h. The annual effective dose rate in air was about 0.07 mSv/a and the average value of Ra_eq in urban soil was 120.37 Bq/kg. The relative contribution of α particle to the dose rate is higher than that derived from β- and γ-rays in the urban soils.