A cross-sectional study on psychiatric morbidity was conducted in an urban area of Pondicherry between October 1988 and July 1989. A sample of 225 families covering 1115 people of all ages was selected by simple random technique. The prevalence rate was 99.4 per 1000, the prevalence among children being 58.6 per 1000. It was found that age, education, occupation and marital status had significant correlation with mental morbidity. Out of 90 cases detected among adults, psychosis formed 20%, neuroses 47% and alcohol dependence syndrome constituted 30%. Among children two conditions commonly identified were mental retardation and nocturnal enuresis.