Changzhou City is located on the alluvial plain of the Yangtze River Delta, which is covered by relatively thick Quaternary strata. Combining geological origin of transgression, 2 691 test data on shear wave velocities of soils from 358 boreholes in Changzhou City were collected for statistical analysis. Using the linear V_S=a+bH, the polynomial formula V_S=a+bH+cH², and the power function V_S=cH^d, regression analysis was performed on the variation in shear wave velocity in different soil types with different soil depths. Three relations between the type of soil and shear wave velocity variation with depth and the corresponding regression parameters are presented. The shear wave velocities were estimated and tested using actual data from engineering boreholes. The results show that the shear wave velocity and soil depth in Changzhou City exhibit a reliable empirical relation. The formulas can be used to predict the shear wave velocity in the study area and provide reliable values for use in future seismic engineering analyses of Changzhou City.