PUEPOSE: This study was conducted to compare self-rated health, health status, and health promotion behaviors between non-low income and low income elderly women in the urban setting. METHOD: The subjects of this study consisted of 668 Korean elderly women over 65years. The data was analyzed by the SAS(ver.8.02) computer program, and it included descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, analysis of covariance, pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 1) The non-low income elderly women had significantly higher scores(self-rated health, health status, and health promotion behavior) than the low income elderly women. 2) In low income elderly women, age, number of children were the main effect factors of health status, and level of education, burden of medical expense were the main effect factors of health promotion behaviors. In non-low income elderly women, number of children was the main effect factors of health status, and level of education, level of pocket money were the main effect factors of health promotion behaviors. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the establishment of a health care system for elderly according to their social-economic level is very important for providing productive care apposite to the situation of elderly.