Abstract: In order to study the overall response and damage form of a cold-formed thin-walled steel housing structure under earthquake, the pseudo-dynamic test was carried out on a full-scale model with a height of 3m, analyzing the displacement response, hysteretic performance, stiffness degradation and the failure form of wall skeleton under earthquake action, and the evaluation method of the damage degree of the skeleton was introduced, which could provide a reference for the evaluation of the damage degree of the cold-formed steel buildings. The research showed that the failure mode of joints of in-plane wall parallel to the loading direction were mostly bending and torsion failure, and the arrangement mode of diagonal braces had a great influence on the distribution of internal forces of the structure, which should be considered in the design. The middle row of joints in the walls parallel to the loading direction and the entrance of doors and windows were the most vulnerable positions of the structure, and it was suggested to improve the bearing capacity of the joint by adding the reinforcer to improve the integrity of the flange of the transverse bar at the opening of joint or changing the arrangement of diagonal braces. Under the El Centro wave and Northridge wave, the failure state of the vertical members of the structure was divided according to the reference control value of the maximum inter-storey displacement angle given in the current Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB 50011-2010), which could be also applicable to the cold-formed thin-walled steel structure system. The maximum inter-storey displacement angle of the structure under the action of each seismic wave did not exceed the limit value specified in the code, meeting the design goal of "small earthquake is not bad, middle earthquake can repair, big earthquake does not fall".