Background: With the rapid development of economy, depression disorder is not only a public health issue but also a socioeconomic problem and attracting more and more attention in China.

Aims: The target of this study is to examine the prevalence of depression and the related risk factors in the Dibao population in northwestern China.

Method: A cross-sectional analysis in a random sample survey conducted in three northwestern Chinese cities in 2007. The data from 4459 respondents with completed Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression (CES-D) scales were evaluated to explore the key risk factors for depression. Using depression as a binary variable according to the cutoff of the CES-D score and then as a continuous variable, multiple logistic and line regression analysis were performed to compare the odds ratio and the weight of different risk factors for depression.

Results: The prevalence of depression in non-Dibao population was 34.7% but that in the Dibao population was 50.0% (p < .001). After adjusting for important confounders, Dibao population had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.38 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16–1.63) to have possible depression compared to those non-Dibao people. Furthermore, depression was associated with a higher OR of indebtedness (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.31–1.93), and a small amount of debt would increase the possibility of depression for Dibao people (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.28–2.23). In addition, gender, body mass index (BMI), tobacco use and social network were also important risk factors for depression in the Dibao population. Using depression as a continuous variable, being a member of the Dibao population and being indebted will add 2.06 and 1.83 to the CES-D score, respectively, compared with the non-Dibao population and not being indebted. A comparison of the odds ratios of depression between the Dibao and the non-Dibao population showed that factors such as gender, BMI, tobacco use, social network and indebtedness were statistically significant in the Dibao population but were not statistically significant in the non-Dibao population. Additionally, having a savings account was statistically significant in the non-Dibao population but not in the Dibao population.

Conclusions: It was not surprising, as proved by other studies, that gender, obesity and social network were risk factors associated with depression in the Dibao population. Our findings indicated that a small amount of indebtedness was also closely related to depression in the Dibao population.