In order to analyze the stress and plastic zone change characteristics of stope in close-distance coal seam mining, the numerical simulation method was adopted. The numerical simulation prototype of 2 m, 4 m, 6 m, 8 m, 10 m and 12 m interval was established by FLAC simulation software, and the characteristics of vertical stress field, horizontal stress field and plastic zone after mining were analyzed respectively. The results showed that the influence range of vertical stress and shear stress was larger than that of horizontal stress, the maximum vertical stress of surrounding rock concentrates on the coal pillar and the lower floor of the coal pillar, the larger the interval between layers, the smaller the stress concentration factor. With the increase of the distance from the center line of the coal pillar, the vertical stress increased first and then decreased, the plastic distribution range of surrounding rock in different intervals was smaller. The plastic zone of stope roof was larger than that of stope floor.