The 12 Houses in Astrology, Explained

What are houses in astrology?

The houses are twelve sections of a birth chart, each covering one area of life, such as money, home, relationships or career. A planet's sign shows how it behaves, and its house shows where that behavior shows up.

Houses depend on your exact birth time and place, because they are measured from the horizon at the minute you were born. Two people born on the same day can share signs but have very different houses.

How are the houses numbered?

The houses start at your rising sign, on the left of the chart, and run counterclockwise from 1 to 12. Houses 1 to 6 sit below the horizon and houses 7 to 12 above it.

The 12 houses at a glance

Each house covers one area of life and has a natural sign and ruling planet:

What does each house mean?

Each house has a natural sign and planet, the ones linked with it in the standard zodiac order, which hint at its flavor.

1st house: self

Your personality, appearance, health and the way you start things. It begins at your Ascendant. Natural sign Aries, ruled by Mars. Planets here show up in your personality and appearance, so people notice them first.

2nd house: money and values

Income, possessions, self-worth and what you value. Natural sign Taurus, ruled by Venus. Planets here shape how you earn, spend and value yourself.

3rd house: communication

Everyday talk, writing, early learning, siblings, neighbors and short trips. Natural sign Gemini, ruled by Mercury. Planets here color how you talk, write and learn, and your ties with siblings.

4th house: home and family

Your roots, family, home and private life. It begins at the IC, the lowest point of the chart. Natural sign Cancer, ruled by the Moon. Planets here describe your home life, your family and what you need in private.

5th house: creativity and romance

Self-expression, fun, romance, creativity and children. Natural sign Leo, ruled by the Sun. Planets here light up romance, play and creative work.

6th house: daily life and health

Work routines, habits, health and service to others. Natural sign Virgo, ruled by Mercury. Planets here show how you work day to day and look after your health.

7th house: partnerships

Marriage, close partnerships, business partners and the people you meet one on one. It begins at the Descendant, opposite your Ascendant. Natural sign Libra, ruled by Venus. Planets here describe the partners you attract and what you bring to relationships.

8th house: shared resources and change

Joint money, debts, inheritance, intimacy and deep personal change. Natural sign Scorpio, ruled by Mars and, for modern astrologers, Pluto. Planets here deal with shared money, trust and the big changes you go through.

9th house: beliefs and travel

Philosophy, faith, higher education, long journeys and the big picture. Natural sign Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter. Planets here drive your search for meaning through travel, study or belief.

10th house: career and reputation

Your career, public image, ambition and standing. In most house systems it begins at the Midheaven. Natural sign Capricorn, ruled by Saturn. Planets here are the most public in your chart and often show in your career.

11th house: friends and hopes

Friendships, groups, communities and your hopes for the future. Natural sign Aquarius, ruled by Saturn and, for modern astrologers, Uranus. Planets here work through friends, groups and the causes you support.

12th house: inner life

Solitude, rest, the subconscious and what happens behind the scenes. Natural sign Pisces, ruled by Jupiter and, for modern astrologers, Neptune. Planets here work quietly in the background and often need time alone to come out.

What are angular, succedent and cadent houses?

Astrologers sort the twelve houses into three groups of four, according to how strongly planets in them express themselves.

• Angular houses (1, 4, 7 and 10) begin at the four angles. Planets here act strongly and visibly.
• Succedent houses (2, 5, 8 and 11) follow the angles. They are about building and keeping: resources, creations, shared assets and networks.
• Cadent houses (3, 6, 9 and 12) lead into the next angle. They are about learning, adjusting and preparing.

What does an empty house mean?

An empty house just means no planet sat in that section when you were born, and it doesn't mean that area of life is missing. With ten planets and twelve houses, every chart has empty houses. Astrologers read an empty house through the sign on its cusp and the planet that rules that sign.

Which house system should I use?

Placidus is the most widely used house system in modern Western astrology and the default here, while whole sign houses are older and simpler and are popular with astrologers who use traditional techniques.

In whole sign houses each house is exactly one sign, starting with your rising sign. Placidus divides the sky by time, so its houses come in different sizes. Neither is the one right answer; try both in the astrologer view of the birth chart calculator and see which reads truer.

How do I find my houses?

Enter your birth date, exact time and place in the birth chart calculator. Your results list every planet with its house and what that house covers, and the chart wheel shows the twelve houses drawn from your own horizon.