To identify residents' heterogeneity via a social dilemma lens, this research applies an integrated segmentation approach toward the heritage community by combining temporal concerns, efficacy beliefs, social emotion, and socio-demographic variables. A total of 402 valid respondents were collected via a face-to face household survey in a Cultural World Heritage Site, Kaiping Diaolou in China. Results revealed that age, education, gender, perceived collective and self-efficacy in heritage sustainability were the most important predicators of residents' sustainable behaviours. Five clusters among heritage residents were categorized, including ‘sustainability advocates’, ‘affective supporters’, ‘careless co-operators’, ‘future-concerned supporters’, and ‘critics’. Implications for developing more effective and targeted strategies to encourage resident compliance toward sustainable heritage development are provided. • Identifies five heritage resident clusters beyond cost-benefit trade-offs. • Temporal concern, efficacy and emotions affects resident sustainable actions. • Strategies in decreasing residents' dilemmas in sustainable heritage development.