Background This study aimed to estimate coverage and identify factors associated to vaccination against influenza in the elderly population. Methods The study design was cross-sectional and population based. Data was collected in 2010 by the Health, Well-Being and Aging Study. Sample consisted of 1,341 community-dwelling elderly, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Association between vaccination and covariates was evaluated by means of prevalence ratios estimated by Poisson regression models. Results Self-reported vaccination coverage was 74.2% (95% confidence interval: 71.3-76.9). Remaining physically active and having had recent interaction with health services, mainly with public units of healthcare, were the main incentives to increase vaccination coverage among the elderly; whereas lower age, living alone and absent interaction with health services were the main constraints to influenza vaccination at the community level. These covariates had already been reported to influence influenza vaccination of elders in previous years. Conclusion Previous knowledge already available on the main constraints to influenza vaccination has not allowed to remove them. Influenza campaigns should be strengthened to increase vaccination coverage, especially in the group more reticent to vaccination. Instructing healthcare providers to recommend vaccine uptake is an important piece of this puzzle.