The Seven Shocking Secrets Of The 'House MD House': Real Locations, Fictional Addresses, And A $700,000 Per Episode Salary

For a show that revolved around a misanthropic medical genius, the real-life locations and financial 'houses' of House M.D. are as complex and full of hidden diagnoses as Dr. Gregory House’s most baffling cases. While the series is famously set in the picturesque, affluent suburbs of Princeton, New Jersey, the truth is that very little of the eight-season run was actually filmed there. As of December 10, 2025, the most current and surprising facts about the show's physical and financial footprint reveal a massive Hollywood operation, a clever nod to literary history, and a salary figure that remains one of the highest in television history.

The "House MD House" is not one place, but a collection of distinct locations—a fictional hospital, a symbolic apartment, and a massive Los Angeles studio lot—each playing a crucial role in creating the iconic medical drama. This deep dive uncovers the seven most compelling secrets behind the show’s primary settings, providing a fresh look at the world of Dr. House, Dr. James Wilson, and Dr. Lisa Cuddy.

The Real-Life Biography of the 'House MD House' Locations

The world of House M.D. is built on a foundation of meticulously crafted fiction, blending real East Coast prestige with the practicalities of West Coast studio filming. The primary "house" of the series is not a residence, but the hospital itself.

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• Fictional Setting: Princeton, New Jersey
• Primary Filming Location (Interiors): Fox Lot and Universal Studios, Century City, Los Angeles, California
• Exterior Hospital Location: Frist Campus Center, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
• Dr. House’s Fictional Residence: Apartment 221B (A direct reference to Sherlock Holmes' 221B Baker Street)
• Series Run: November 16, 2004 – May 21, 2012 (8 Seasons, 177 Episodes)
• Creator: David Shore
• Star: Hugh Laurie (Dr. Gregory House)
• Peak Financial Fact: Hugh Laurie's salary reached $700,000 per episode by the end of the series.

1. The Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital (PPTH) is Not a Hospital

The imposing, brick-and-ivy exterior of the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital (PPTH), the fictional setting where Dr. House and his team of diagnosticians solve medical mysteries, is not a hospital at all. It is, in fact, the Frist Campus Center at Princeton University in New Jersey.

This location was used for the establishing exterior shots to lend the show an air of academic prestige and East Coast gravitas. The Frist Campus Center is a hub for student life, containing dining facilities, a computer cluster, and various social spaces, making it a far cry from the high-stakes medical environment depicted on screen. The actual building is a former dining hall, which adds a layer of irony to the setting of a major teaching hospital.

2. The Majority of the Show Was Filmed 3,000 Miles Away in California

Despite being set entirely in New Jersey, the vast majority of the show, including all the iconic interior sets—House’s office, the differential diagnosis room, the hospital hallways, and the patient rooms—were constructed and filmed on sound stages in California.

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The show was primarily produced at the Fox Lot in Century City, Los Angeles, and at Universal Studios. This is a common practice in television production to keep costs down and maintain a consistent shooting schedule. The move allowed the production to film year-round in the controlled environment of a studio, rather than dealing with the unpredictable weather of the East Coast.

3. Dr. House’s Apartment Address is a Sherlock Holmes Easter Egg

The most direct answer to the "House MD House" question is Dr. House’s fictional apartment. His address is consistently referenced as 221B. This is a direct and intentional homage to the world's most famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, whose residence was 221B Baker Street in London.

The connection is central to the show's topical authority and character development. Both House and Holmes are misanthropic geniuses who use deductive reasoning to solve complex problems, often relying on a close, long-suffering friend (Dr. James Wilson is House’s Dr. Watson) and a dependence on substances (Vicodin for House, cocaine for Holmes) to cope with their brilliance. The exterior shots of the apartment building were filmed in Los Angeles, though a specific, verifiable street address has remained elusive to the public, likely being a generic building in the Century City area.

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4. Hugh Laurie’s Salary Made Him a TV Elite

The 'financial house' of Hugh Laurie, the actor who brilliantly portrayed Dr. Gregory House, is perhaps the most shocking fact about the show's success. By the final seasons, Laurie was one of the highest-paid actors on television, earning a staggering $700,000 per episode.

Considering a typical season had 22 episodes, this figure places him firmly in the pantheon of TV's highest earners, a testament to his transformative performance as the cane-wielding diagnostician. This massive paycheck cemented his place among TV elites, a remarkable feat for a British actor who famously auditioned for the role via a shaky video shot in a Namibian hotel bathroom.

5. The Pilot Episode Was Filmed in a Completely Different Country

While the series quickly settled into its Los Angeles and New Jersey routine, the very first episode, the pilot, was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is another common trick in television production, as Canadian locations often offer competitive tax incentives and filming costs.

Once the show was picked up for a full season, the production moved to the Los Angeles studios, which became the permanent home for the show's eight-year run. Savvy viewers can sometimes spot subtle differences in the exterior shots and lighting between the pilot and subsequent episodes.

6. The 'Real' Princeton Hospital Exists, But It's Not PPTH

The fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital is a composite name. While there is no single hospital with that exact name, a real-life hospital in the area, the Princeton Hospital at Plainsboro, does exist. This facility is a regional medical center in New Jersey, but it has no direct connection to the television show other than the geographical inspiration for the fictional name.

The show's creators intentionally used a fictitious name to avoid any legal complications or the need to film in a working medical environment. The interior of the PPTH set was designed to be a sterile, modern, and imposing structure, perfectly reflecting the high-tech, yet isolated, world of Dr. House's Department of Diagnostic Medicine.

7. House’s Cane and Limp Were a Constant Filming Challenge

Dr. House's chronic pain and reliance on a cane are central to his character. The need to constantly film Hugh Laurie using the cane and maintaining a consistent limp—all while using a flawless American accent—was a major, ongoing challenge for the actor.

The production team had to design the sets, especially the hospital hallways, to accommodate the physical requirements of the character. Laurie himself revealed that adopting the limp caused him physical pain in his non-limping leg, a unique occupational hazard that added to the realism of his performance and the show's topical authority on chronic pain.