In a random population sample of 1,040 elderly persons participating in a community survey, subjects were screened for depressive symptoms using a modified Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. About 10% reported five or more possible symptoms of depression present during 3 or more days of the previous week. Approximately 1% of the sample had a sufficient number of symptoms for a diagnosis of major depression, although severity, disability, and 2-week duration were not assessed. More depressive symptoms were found to be independently associated with the following: age, widowhood, and less education; general health and appetite self-rated as fair-to-poor; and a greater number of sleep problems, social support problems, and stressful life events in the previous year. Further, subjects with more depressive symptoms were significantly more likely to have been recently hospitalized and to have used home health and social services. These findings have implications for the public health importance of depressive symptomatology, even when subsyndromal, in older groups.