Histogram

A histogram groups numeric observations into intervals called bins. Each bar shows how many observations fall in that interval. It helps you see where values cluster and whether the distribution has gaps, tails, or several peaks.

Time to answer 50 support ticketsSample data

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How bins work

The example groups 50 support response times into equal 10-minute bins. A response of exactly 10 minutes goes in the 10–20 bin, not the 0–10 bin. The lower bound is included and the upper bound is excluded.

There are 18 tickets in the 10–20 bin, more than in any other bin. Four tickets took 40 to under 50 minutes. The chart shows the spread that a single average would hide.

Histogram or bar chart?

A bar chart compares separate categories. You can often sort those categories by value. Histogram bins have a numeric order that must stay fixed, and adjacent bins touch.

Choose the bin width carefully

Wide bins can hide clusters. Narrow bins can make small differences look like a pattern. Try more than one width before drawing a conclusion, and use the same bin boundaries when comparing groups.

Equal-width bins can use counts as heights. With unequal-width bins, use frequency density so bar area, rather than height alone, represents frequency. State whether the vertical axis shows counts, proportions, or density.

Keep extreme values unless you have a valid reason to exclude them. Note missing observations and the sample size. For a compact comparison of several distributions, use a box plot.