Natal charts are divided into twelve sections called “houses,”
which indicate the different areas of interest and activity in
your life. How those houses are divided up depends on the
house system used by you or your astrologer. There are at
least eight major house systems in use throughout the
world, but the three most commonly used in the United
States are Placidus, Koch (pronounced “coke”), and Equal.

These three systems result in the same Ascendant (Rising
Sign) but have different Midheavens and house cusps.

The Placidian system is named after its 17th century
inventor, Placidus de Titus. It is used by at least 80% of
astrologers in the U.S. because it is the most widely known
system and its house tables are readily available in most
areas. The Koch system is the second most commonly used
house system in the U.S. It originated in Germany and is
named for its first publisher, Dr. Walter Koch.

Both Placidus and Koch systems result in the same
Ascendant which is always the cusp of the first house. The
Midheaven is always the cusp of the tenth house, but each
system results in a different sign (or the same sign at a
different degree) on the Midheaven. Placidus and Koch are
“unequal” house systems which can result in interceptions.
An interception occurs when two opposite signs are each on

the cusp of two houses, while another two opposite signs are
not on any house cusps at all and are instead inside of
houses with neighboring signs on their cusps. But in any
given chart, the signs intercepted by Koch are not
necessarily the same ones that would be intercepted using
Placidus.

The Equal house system is just what its name implies. All
the houses have the same degree on each cusp, and there
are no interceptions. Equal house systems are especially
useful for people born in the northernmost and
southernmost latitudes, and this system is the most popular
one in use outside of the United States.

No given house system is better than another, only
different. Astrologers select the systems which they feel
work best for them and for their clients. They also select
systems which best suit the kinds of astrology they practice,
giving them the desired interpretive results. For example,
those who practice astropsychology are often inclined to use
Placidus, and those who practice Uranian astrology are more
likely to select Koch. If you are unsure which system is best
for you, try both, or try one of the other house systems, and
see which produces the most reliable results. That’s the best
house system — for you.

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