Stacked Area Chart

A stacked area chart shows the cumulative trend over time of a certain variable. It’s similar to a line chart, but the area between the x-axis and the line is filled with a color or pattern to distinguish it from a line chart. A stacked area chart can be used to show trends, such as company growth or population change.

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An example of a stacked area chart
An example of a stacked area chart

When are stacked area charts useful?

Stacked area charts are useful in the following situations:

  • To show the total sum of the data: Area charts are particularly effective at emphasizing the total sum of the data, because the area between the line and the x-axis is filled. This is useful for showing the overall trend of a metric, such as the growth or decline of a company’s sales revenue over time. ...