Objective To investigate the quality of life (QOL) of Beichuan cadres 1 year after Wenchuan earthquake, so as to provide references for promoting psychological intervention and improving QOL. Methods With the adoption of WHOQOL-BREF, questionnaire survey on basic conditions of cadre victims, and PCL-C scale, cross-section survey was conducted for 2 055 cadres of Beichuan public institutions in aspects of their QOL, social demographic characteristics and psychological trauma. Results a) Compared with domestic norm, although the Beichuan cadres had higher score in social relation domain (14.31 ± 2.59, Plt;0.01), their QOL scores in each dimensions (physical domain score: 14.16 ± 2.43; psychological domain score: 13.79 ± 2.59, environmental domain score: 11.20 ± 2.74) were lower with significant difference (Plt;0.01); b) The group with population under the age of 30 scored higher than other age groups in the psychological and environmental domains; men scored higher than women in the psychological domain; the widowed group scored lower than other groups in all domains; the Han nationality group scored higher than the Qiang nationality group in all domains; the primary education group scored lower than other groups in the social relation domain; the group with relatives, houses and physical loss or damage scored lower than the non-loss group in all domains; and the higher the score in PCL-C, the lower the scores in all domains (all Plt;0.05). Conclusion Beichuan cadres are severely affected in their physical, psychological and environmental domains even one year after Wenchuan earthquake, especially the female, the Qiang nationality, the old, the lost, and the psychological injured cadres are more badly affected with worse QOL, so those population should be concerned in particular with sustainable psychological service and other measures. The finding of social relation domain score being higher than general population suggests that it is important to promote the satisfaction with social relation through the timely effective support from both government and civil society, and the resettlement of sample housing area as well.