Key statistics
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataWhat is the most common rising sign?
Leo Rising, at 10.53% of US births. Pisces Rising is the rarest, at 5.18%.
Rising sign share of US births, 2000–2014
Weighted by CDC birth-time data, at the US center of population.
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataDownload CSVYour Rising sign is the sign on the eastern horizon when you were born. At US latitudes some signs cross the horizon in under an hour and others take nearly three, so the slow risers (Leo through Scorpio) are far more common. Find yours with the rising sign calculator.
Rising signs by latitude
The further north you’re born, the rarer Aries and Pisces Rising become.
How often each sign rises, by latitude
Share of the day each sign is on the Ascendant, averaged over a year. Darker = more common.
| Rising | 25°N · Miami | 35°N · Memphis | 40°N · New York | 48°N · Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 6.2% | 5.5% | 5.0% | 4.1% |
| Taurus | 7.1% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 5.3% |
| Gemini | 8.4% | 8.2% | 8.0% | 7.6% |
| Cancer | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| Leo | 9.5% | 10.2% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| Virgo | 9.3% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| Libra | 9.3% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| Scorpio | 9.5% | 10.2% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| Sagittarius | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| Capricorn | 8.4% | 8.2% | 8.0% | 7.6% |
| Aquarius | 7.1% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 5.3% |
| Pisces | 6.2% | 5.5% | 5.0% | 4.1% |
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataDownload CSVWhat is the most common moon sign?
Moon signs are almost evenly spread. Aries Moon is only marginally most common (8.49%).
Moon sign share of US births, 2000–2014
All twelve signs fall between 8.2% and 8.5%.
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataThe Moon changes sign every 2–3 days, so no birth season can favour one Moon sign. Look up yours with the moon sign calculator.
Sun signs using exact ingress times
Leo, Virgo and Cancer are effectively tied for most common. Capricorn is the rarest.
Sun sign share of US births, 2000–2014
Using the Sun’s exact entry into each sign, to the hour.
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataOur astrology statistics report uses the calendar dates printed in horoscope columns, which puts Cancer first (9.00%). Exact ingress times move a few cusp births and put Leo slightly ahead.
Most common Sun–Moon combinations
Virgo Sun with Cancer Moon is the most common pairing. Capricorn Sun pairings are the rarest.
Most and least common Sun–Moon pairings
Top 5 and bottom 4 of 144 pairings. An even split would be 1 in 144.
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataThe most common and rarest Big Three
Most common: Cancer Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Libra Rising (1 in 906). Rarest: Aries Sun, Leo Moon, Pisces Rising (1 in 4,660).
Big Three combinations, ranked
Out of 1,728 possible Sun–Moon–Rising combinations.
| Rank | Sun | Moon | Rising | How common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer | Sagittarius | Libra | 1 in 906 |
| 2 | Leo | Taurus | Scorpio | 1 in 913 |
| 3 | Cancer | Aries | Libra | 1 in 918 |
| 4 | Leo | Pisces | Scorpio | 1 in 924 |
| 5 | Leo | Aries | Virgo | 1 in 940 |
| Rarest | ||||
| 1,726 | Gemini | Sagittarius | Aries | 1 in 4,558 |
| 1,727 | Aries | Aries | Pisces | 1 in 4,650 |
| 1,728 | Aries | Leo | Pisces | 1 in 4,660 |
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataDownload all 1,728 (CSV)BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataFind where yours ranks with the Big Three calculator.
Your Big Three is 1 of 1,728.Your houses and aspects make your full chart rarer still.
Free birth chartRetrogrades and moon phases at birth
About 1 in 5 people was born during Mercury retrograde. The full moon has no real effect on births.
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataThe hospital calendar matters far more than the Moon. Scheduled inductions and C-sections make weekdays much busier than weekends (SSA births 2000–2014 via FiveThirtyEight). See upcoming dates in Mercury retrograde 2026.
Birth time statistics
8 a.m. is the most common hour of birth in the US. The early-morning hours are the quietest.
Share of US births by hour of day
2013 birth certificates, 41 states and DC (90% of US births).
BluntChart analysis of SSA + CDC dataBirth chart vs horoscope interest
Interest is shifting from sun signs to full charts. Wikipedia views of “Ascendant” rose 67% in a year.
English Wikipedia views, year over year
Sep 2024–Aug 2025 vs Sep 2025–Aug 2026, human traffic only.
| Article | Year 1 | Year 2 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendant (rising sign) | 83,942 | 140,032 | ▲ +67% |
| Horoscope (birth chart) | 183,592 | 202,142 | ▲ +10% |
| Saturn return | 107,709 | 103,200 | ▼ -4% |
| Astrology | 556,220 | 448,394 | ▼ -19% |
| Astrological sign | 1,287,736 | 829,862 | ▼ -36% |
Birth chart reading habits
28% of US adults consult astrology yearly, but very few rely on it for big decisions.
Are birth charts accurate?
In controlled tests, chart-based readings have not beaten chance.
Astrologers have published reanalyses disputing parts of these results. We report the published findings as they stand. At BluntChart, astrology is a lens for self-reflection, not a scientific instrument.
FAQ
What is the most common rising sign?
Leo Rising, at 10.53% of US births from 2000–2014 in a BluntChart analysis weighted by CDC birth-time data, followed by Virgo (10.44%) and Libra (10.43%). Some signs take much longer to rise than others at US latitudes, which makes them more common.
What is the rarest rising sign?
Pisces Rising at 5.18%, just behind Aries Rising at 5.23%. Both rise in under an hour in the Northern Hemisphere. They are rarer the further north you are born: about 6.2% at Miami's latitude and 4.1% at Seattle's.
What is the most common moon sign?
Moon signs are nearly even because the Moon changes sign every 2–3 days. Aries Moon was marginally most common (8.49%) and Virgo Moon least common (8.18%) in 2000–2014 US births.
What is the most common Big Three combination?
Cancer Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Libra Rising, at 0.110% of US births (about 1 in 906). The rarest was Aries Sun, Leo Moon, Pisces Rising at 0.021% (about 1 in 4,660). All 1,728 combinations appear in the data.
What is the most common Sun and Moon combination?
Virgo Sun with Cancer Moon (0.789% of US births). The rarest is Capricorn Sun with Libra Moon (0.559%). If all 144 pairings were equal, each would be 0.694%.
How many people are born during Mercury retrograde?
About 1 in 5: 19.04% of US births from 2000–2014, exactly matching the share of days Mercury was retrograde.
Are more babies born on a full moon?
Not meaningfully. Full-moon days were 12.17% of days and 12.30% of births. Day of the week matters far more: weekdays average 58% more births than weekends.
Are birth charts accurate?
Controlled tests have not found chart readings to perform better than chance. In Carlson's 1985 double-blind study in Nature, 28 astrologers matching 116 charts to personality profiles performed at chance level. Astrologers have published reanalyses disputing parts of these results.
Methodology and sources
Births: SSA daily US birth counts, Jan 1, 2000 to Dec 31, 2014 (62,187,024 births). Birth times: each day’s births are split across 24 hours using the CDC’s 2013 hour-of-birth distribution, with weekdays and weekends weighted separately. This assumes the 2013 pattern holds for the whole period. Location: charts are cast for the 2020 US center of population (37.4°N, 92.4°W) in Central Time with historical daylight saving rules. Positions: tropical Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus positions and the Ascendant come from the open-source astronomy-engine library. All tables are free to reuse with a link to this page.
BluntChart. “Birth Chart Statistics: Data on Readings, Popularity & Trends.” Updated October 8, 2026. https://bluntchart.com/astrology-data/birth-chart-statistics- US Social Security Administration daily birth counts 2000–2014 (62,187,024 births), published by FiveThirtyEight. https://github.com/fivethirtyeight/data/tree/master/births
- Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK. “When Are Babies Born: Morning, Noon, or Night? Birth Certificate Data for 2013.” NCHS Data Brief No. 200 (May 2015). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db200.htm
- US Census Bureau, “Center of Population” (2020 Census): Hartville, Missouri, 37.4°N, 92.4°W. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/centers-population.html
- Don Cross, astronomy-engine (open-source astronomy library, validated against NASA JPL Horizons and NOVAS). https://github.com/cosinekitty/astronomy
- Pew Research Center, “3 in 10 Americans consult astrology, tarot cards or fortune tellers” (May 21, 2025). Survey of 9,593 US adults, Oct 21–27, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/05/21/3-in-10-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-fortune-tellers/
- Ipsos, “Divides among public opinion on astrology and horoscopes” (2019). Survey of 1,005 US adults, Nov 26–27, 2019. https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/astrology-horoscopes
- Wikimedia Foundation Pageviews API, English Wikipedia, user traffic (all access), Sept 2024–Aug 2026. Articles: Ascendant, Horoscope, Astrological sign, Astrology, Saturn return. https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/
- Carlson S. “A double-blind test of astrology.” Nature 318, 419–425 (1985). https://www.nature.com/articles/318419a0
- Dean G, Kelly IW. “Is Astrology Relevant to Consciousness and Psi?” Journal of Consciousness Studies 10(6–7), 175–198 (2003). https://philpapers.org/rec/DEAIAR
- Wyman AJ, Vyse S. “Science Versus the Stars: A Double-Blind Test of the Validity of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and Computer-Generated Astrological Natal Charts.” Journal of General Psychology 135(3), 287–300 (2008). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/GENP.135.3.287-300
- Apple App Store (US) public listings for Co–Star, CHANI, Nebula and The Pattern, accessed September 2026. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/co-star-personalized-astrology/id1264782561
Related
· Part of the BluntChart astrology data hub. Astrology content is for entertainment.