Area Chart

An area chart fills the space between a line and a baseline. It shows how a value changes over an ordered interval, usually time. The fill gives more visual weight to the amount than a plain line does.

Orders by monthSample data

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View sample data

An area chart is not automatically cumulative

The example shows orders in each month. June has 210 orders. Filling the chart does not turn that value into a running total.

To show cumulative orders, calculate a running sum first and label it as such. To show the total of several categories at each point in time, use a stacked area chart.

When the fill helps

Use a single area for a measure where magnitude matters, such as daily requests or stored data. Start the value axis at zero so the filled height has a consistent meaning.

Use a line chart when you mainly need to compare small changes or several series. Overlapping areas can hide each other, even with transparent fills.

Prepare the data

Keep time intervals in order and use consistent units. Distinguish missing values from zero. A gap in collection does not mean activity stopped.

Avoid smooth curves unless the interpolation fits the data. Straight segments make fewer assumptions between observations. Add a unit and period to the title or axes, and state whether values are counts, rates, or running totals.