The objective of the present study was to explore a potential association between the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) gene polymorphisms and vascular dementia (VaD) in women. The relationship of two polymorphisms (rs944050 and rs4986938) and their associated haplotypes in the ERβ gene with VaD were examined in 121 Chinese Han women (>50 years of age) including 61 with VaD and 60 healthy age-matched controls. The potential associations were evaluated using unconditional logistic regression. The variant allele G of rs944050 in the ERβ gene increased the risk of VaD (odds ratio = 2.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.08-3.77). In haplotype analyses, the ERβ haplotype containing the polymorphism rs944050 variant allele and the polymorphism rs4986938 wild-type allele was associated with VaD (odds ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval = 1.03-2.84). The polymorphism rs944050 in the ERβ gene was associated with an increased risk of VaD in Chinese Han women. Further studies regarding the association between the ERβ gene polymorphisms and VaD are needed to confirm these findings.