Sixty middle-aged women with a major depressive episode diagnosed in a community survey were compared with those 400 participants of the study who had no history of major depression. The husband's income and the family income were lower in the depressed group even when adjustment was made for age and marital status. The depressives were more often divorced or widowed than were controls. As a direct consequence of this, women with major depression lived in smaller residences and were more seldom owners of a summerhouse. The proportions of women working full-time, part-time or not working outside home were the same in those with major depression and the controls. The level of adversity (life events and long-term major difficulties) during the year preceding the study was increased in the depressed group when adjustment was made for age, marital status and social class differences. A larger proportion of the depressed women reported marital and job dissatisfaction. Variables reflecting social isolation did not differ between groups. There were no differences between depressed and undepressed regarding churchgoing, but fewer of the former stated that they believed in God.