There are 12 thoracic vertebrae in the human spine, labeled T1 through T12, forming the mid‑back region between the neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine).

Quick Scoop

  • Humans typically have 12 thoracic vertebrae, each attached to a pair of ribs, creating the rib cage area.
  • These vertebrae sit between the 7 cervical and 5 lumbar vertebrae in the full spinal column.
  • Very rarely, some people may have 11 or 13 thoracic vertebrae due to natural anatomical variation, but 12 is considered the normal number.

In everyday anatomy and exam questions, when you see “how many thoracic vertebrae are there,” the expected answer is 12.

TL;DR: In humans, the thoracic region of the spine almost always contains 12 vertebrae (T1–T12).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.