This　study　intends　to　investigate　indoor　thermal　environment　in　homes　with　elderly　people　during　heating　season　in　Beijing,　China.　The　investigation　was　performed　from　December　2016　to　February　2017,　involving　both　urban　and　rural　houses.　Heating　equipment,　indoor　clothing　and　thermal　sensation　of　the　elderly,　and　indoor　physical　parameters　were　analyzed　through　subjective　surveys　and　objective　measurements.　Results　show　that　different　types　of　heating　systems/devices　are　used　in　urban　and　rural　houses.　Overall,　the　heating　duration　of　rural　houses　is　longer　than　that　of　urban　houses　in　winter.　In　terms　of　indoor　air　temperature,　urban　elderly　people　experienced　warmer　and　steadier　thermal　environments　than　rural　elderly　people.　During　the　investigation,　the　average　air　temperature　in　living　rooms/elderly　people＇s　bedrooms　of　urban　houses　was　21.9　+/-　2.2　degrees　C/21.5　+/-　2.8　degrees　C,　significantly　higher　than　16.1　+/-　3.5　degrees　C/14.6　+/-　3.3　degrees　C　of　rural　houses.　Additionally,　rural　elderly　people　usually　encountered　a　large　temperature　step　between　indoors　and　outdoors,　due　to　frequent　exit　and　entry.　Despite　of　relatively　low　air　temperatures　in　rural　houses,　the　elderly　reported　that　the　indoor　thermal　environment　was　acceptable,　since　the　elderly　in　rural　areas　wear　thicker　clothes　indoors　in　winter.　This　also　indicated　the　acceptable　temperature　for　elderly　people　in　rural　areas　was　lower　than　that　for　elderly　people　in　urban　areas.　It　is　noted　that　the　acceptable　temperature　may　not　satisfy　long-term　physical　health　requirements　of　the　elderly.　More　studies　are　needed　to　determine　reasonable　temperature　for　both　thermal　comfort　and　health　of　the　elderly.