Area Chart Maker
Created:September 18, 2024
Last Updated:March 21, 2025
Create beautiful area charts from your data. Upload your own data or try our sample datasets.
Try it out!
- Click Sample Data and select Stock prices
- For X-Axis, select date
- For Y-Axis, select GOOG
- Click Generate Area Chart to visualize the data
Calculator
1. Load Your Data
2. Select Columns & Options
Learn More
Area Charts: Definition, Uses, and Interpretation
What is an Area Chart?
An area chart is a type of graph that displays quantitative data using a line that connects data points, with the area between the line and the x-axis filled with color or shading. It is similar to a line chart but with the area below the line filled in.
Uses of Area Charts
- Showing trends over time
- Visualizing part-to-whole relationships
- Comparing multiple data series
- Illustrating cumulative totals
- Highlighting the magnitude of changes
Types of Area Charts
- Simple Area Charts: Show a single data series
- Multiple Area Charts: Compare multiple data series
- Stacked Area Charts: Show composition and totals
- 100% Stacked Area Charts: Display percentage contributions
Interpreting Area Charts
When interpreting an area chart, consider the following:
- Observe the overall trend and shape of the area
- Compare the relative sizes of areas between different series
- In stacked area charts, look at both individual contributions and totals
- Be cautious of scale distortions, especially with multiple series
- Consider the baseline (usually zero) and its impact on perception