There is increasing evidence for a possible association between asthma and asthma-related symptoms and indoor environmental quality in developing countries. Data on the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms and its association to personal, occupational, and environmental risk factors among adults in the acid rain-plagued city of Zunyi in southwestern China have not been widely available. A multistage cluster random sampling method was performed in populations aged 18 years and above in 11 inner-city areas of Zunyi in Guizhou province in winter (from October 2011 to March 2012). A modified adult questionnaire of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II translated into Chinese was administered to adults in order to collect data on asthma and asthma-related symptoms and selected home environmental factors. The overall prevalence of adult asthma, asthma and asthma-related symptoms were 1.8% and 13.1%, respectively. Coal (OR = 1.893; 95% CI, 1.157-3.097), cooking oil fumes (OR = 2.218; 95% CI, 1.466-3.356), current smokers (OR = 4.201; 95% CI, 2.647-6.667), secondhand smoke (OR = 3.654; 95% CI, 1.341-4.343) and pets keeping (OR = 2.170; 95% CI, 1.424-3.308) were independently associated with the occurrence of adult asthma and asthma-related symptoms. The prevalence of adult asthma was lower than those reported by European and American studies, but closer to those of previous Chinese studies. The risks of asthma and asthma-related symptoms in this population were associated with exposure to coal, cooking smoke, cooking oil fumes, and secondhand smoke and pets, among other risk factors.