Whether or not we can narrow the urban-rural "digital literacy gap" and improve the digital literacy and skills of China's rural households so that digital technology can truly empower people, is crucial to improving the well-being of the population. Using data from the China Family Tracking Survey (CFPS), the article explores the construction of digital literacy indicators and identifies the key issues for improving the income of rural households through digital literacy, starting with the depth of information application. The findings show that improved digital literacy has a significant positive effect on increasing farm household income, and the study's conclusions remain valid after utilizing instrumental variables as well as multiple methodological tests. The quantile model shows that the income-enhancing performance of digital literacy is uneven across regions and significantly widens the income gap within farm households. The income-generating benefits of digital literacy have a "threshold effect" within farming households, with low-income farmers mainly obtaining wages and business income through "entertainment apps" and high-income farmers accomplishing wealth accumulation through "serious apps". High-income farmers use "serious applications" to complete wealth accumulation. Mechanism analysis shows that digital literacy can reduce the cost of acquiring knowledge and effective information, improve the better management of individual resources, and realize income expansion. Heterogeneity analysis finds that digital literacy has a more pronounced income-enhancing effect on middle-aged and older farmers and those with low levels of education. Focusing on low-income households with multiple vulnerabilities, the use of household "digital feedback" can further reduce the income gap within the household. This study helps to examine the economic effects of digital literacy on farm household income under the "winner-takes-all" market structure and provides evidence to support the use of digital literacy as a tool to promote the digital village and commonwealth in China.