To investigate the subjective well-being and its influence factors among residents living in old districts in Wuhan. In June, 2011, a total of 500 residents living in Shanghai Street in Wuhan were recruited as subjects for this study by two-stage stratified random sampling method. The information of demographic features, health status, spare time, family status, interpersonal relationship and social environment were collected by self-made questionnaires naming "survey of satisfaction of residents living in old districts". The results were analyzed by single-factor and multi-factors analysis method. In this study, 448 samples of questionnaire were answered qualified (89.6%, 448/500). The subjects aged (51.3 ± 16.1) years old. The single-factor analysis showed that male and female influence the subjective happiness got 5.43 ± 1.66, 5.77 ± 1.65 (U = -2.32, P < 0.05);the age of 0 - 45, 46 - 59, 60 and above group got 5.12 ± 1.68, 5.47 ± 1.81, 6.29 ± 1.23, respectively (H = 43.07, P < 0.01); the unmarried, married, divorced, loss of spouse and remarriage groups got 5.18 ± 1.94, 5.74 ± 1.54, 4.00 ± 2.04, 5.68 ± 1.91, 6.63 ± 0.92, respectively (H = 17.41, P < 0.01); education background were primary school and blow, junior middle school, senior high school, bachelor degree, master degree and above got 6.30 ± 1.42, 5.55 ± 1.82, 5.90 ± 1.46, 5.07 ± 1.74, 4.75 ± 2.22 (H = 26.99, P < 0.01); monthly household income was ¥0 - 2000, ¥2001 - 4000, ¥4001 - 8000, ¥8001 - 10 000, ¥10 000 and above got 5.34 ± 1.87, 5.68 ± 1.53, 6.20 ± 1.07, 7.33 ± 0.58, 6.00 ± 0.00, respectively (H = 13.85, P < 0.01). The subjective satisfaction of social environment ranked from high to low were: city public security (56.0%, 248/448), traffic environment (44.9%, 199/448), community environment (14.9%, 66/448), housing conditions (13.8%, 61/448) and medical environment (8.2%, 36/448). Multiple regression model suggested that the determinant coefficient was 0.53(P < 0.01), with a good degree of fitting. The model showed that the factors influencing the residents' happiness were ranked: social environment (β' = 0.34), family status (β' = 0.32), health status (β' = 0.21), education background (β'(0-6) school year = 0.00, β'(7-9) school year = -0.12, β'(9-12) school year = 0.04, β'(>12) school year = -0.14), monthly household income (β' = 0.07) and marital status (β'(unmarried) = 0.00, β'(married) = 0.03, β'(divorced) = -0.03, β'(widowed) = 0.01, β'(remarried) = 0.02). The factors that social environment, family status, health status, education background, monthly household income and marital status could influence the subjective happiness of residents living in old districts in Wuhan. A perfect social security system could improve the subjective happiness of residents in old districts in Wuhan.