The objective of the study was to establish the extent to which socio-economic status affects the acquisition of HIV. Data were collected in 1992 from 1784 respondents in Rakai district by the Rakai Project, with results for HIV serology and information on demographic, socio-economic and some behavioural variables. Level of education and urban residence were positively significantly related to HIV status both at bivariate and multivariate levels. Household wealth status was positively associated with HIV status at the bivariate level, but negatively related with HIV status at the multivariate level though not statistically significantly. Occupation was significantly associated with HIV status at the bivariate level and for one model at the multivariate level, but when occupation of the partner, travel destinations of partner and respondent, condom use and number of sexual partners in the previous year were introduced in a second model, occupation was not significantly related to HIV status.