This study aimed to determine the relationship between the different factors of analgesic therapy and the compliance of chronic pain inpatients. We prospectively investigated 100 consecutive inpatients with non-cancer chronic pain who were hospitalized to receive oral analgesic treatment in the Pain Department of West China Hospital from May 2013 to October 2013. Patients who completed the treatment plan were recorded as good compliance, whereas patients who partly completed or even refused the treatment were recorded as moderate or non-compliance, respectively. A total of 73 (73.7%), 17 (17.1%), and 9 (9.2%) patients showed good, moderate, and non-compliance, respectively. Univariate analyses showed significantly better compliance among farmers, patients educated in college or above, with family income of<3000 CNY, and with severe or moderate pain than those employed and unemployed (P=0.02), patients educated below college (P=0.013), with family income of≥3000 CNY (P=0.025), and with mild pain (P<0.001), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the family income of≥3000 CNY (OR: 2.50, 95%CI: 1.65–4.51, P=0.021) and mild pain (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.03–3.31, P=0.016) were associated with moderate or non-compliance with oral analgesic treatment. In conclusion, the low compliance with oral treatment of analgesics was found in Chinese inpatients with chronic pain and compliance was negatively associated with family income and degree of pain of patients.