The ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) is an important marker within the aging process, as it reflects the level of independence to perform in the real world. However, there is a scarcity of studies that investigate the different performance profiles among older adults. OBJECTIVE To investigate the heterogeneity present in the community of elderly people, grouping them based on characteristics and patterns observed through an objective performance-based assessment. METHODS Participants were selected according to the following inclusion criteria: fluency in Portuguese, 360 years, regular participation in a social program offered by the government of Rio de Janeiro, and absence of a caregiver. The evaluation of IADLs was determined by the total and brief version of the University of California, San Diego Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA) and the Lawton and Brody IADL scale. The Brief Cognitive Screening Battery and the Mini-Mental State Examination were used to characterize the sample, in addition to the Geriatric Depression Scale. A total of 61 elderly people with an average age of 72.5 years, predominantly females (85.2%), and average education of 11.2 were evaluated and grouped according to their performance at UPSA through clustering analysis. RESULTS The analysis revealed three grouping patterns, subdividing the sample into subgroups that differed significantly in terms of age, education, global cognition, and all instrumental activities assessed by UPSA - planning, finance, communication, transportation, and household chores. CONCLUSIONS This study was able to identify the heterogeneity present between the elderly people in the different factors that compose the IADLs through a performance-based assessment.