[Objective] The objective of this study is to explore the effect of vermicompost co-applied with inorganic fertilizer on biological characteristics in rhizosphere soil of maize and to provide theoretical basis for the development of the soil fertilizer system and reasonable fertilization of corn. [Methods] A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of four treatments, CK(neither urea nor vermicompost was applied), CF(100% of nitrogen was provided by urea), VC(100% of nitrogen was provided by vermicompost), and VC+CF (50% and 50% of nitrogen was provided by vermicompost and urea, respectively) on root exudates, microorganism population, enzyme activities and humus composition in the rhizosphere soil of maize. [Results] The VC+CF treatment significantly increased root exudates, and microorganism population, microbial biomass carbon, as well as the enzyme activities of urease, invertase, catalase and neutral phosphatase compared with CF treatment. The bacterial population increased by 124.32%, 62.99% and 15.45%, and the urease enzyme activity increased by 44.27%, 23.53% and 12.50% compared with the treatments of CK, CF and VC, respectively. In addition, the VC+CF treatment also obviously increased the contents of humic acid and fulvic acid, and the ratio of humic acid to fulvic acid. However, effect on biological properties in rhizosphere soil of maize in VC treatment was less than that in VC+CF treatment. [Conclusion] In summary, vermicompost co-applied with inorganic fertilizer had better effect on micro-ecological environment in rhizosphere soil of maize.