Objective Explore the current situation and specific needs of community-based home care services among Mongolian elderly people in Hohhot. Methods A total of 232 Mongolian elderly people in Hohhot were recruited to join a questionnaire survey regarding their preference for senior care models, needs for community-based home care services, and satisfaction with the current community senior care service. Results Apropos the modes of senior care, 89.7% of the Mongolian elderly preferred community-based home care, while 7.8% preferred institutional care. Among community-based home care service items, the need for food catering services ad hoc for the elderly topped the life assistance category(38.5%); the need for community-based Magnolia medical clinics topped the health care category(29.3%); the need for chess room topped the spiritual and cultural category(25.0%). Whether being in need of community-based home care was determined by the elderly participants′education levels, monthly income, perceived physical health levels, having a living spouse or not, having children or not, and having a cohabitant or not （P＜0.05, P＜0.01）. Conclusion The Mongolian elderly in Hohhot preferred community-based home care and had strong demands for community-based home care services. Their preference for community-based home care were affected by multiple factors. Measures should be taken to provide Mongolian elderly with a variety of community-based home care services tailored to the de facto needs of them, in a bid to meet the individualized needs of the elderly population.