The Data Visualisation Catalogue Blog




Chart Snapshot: 100% Stacked Area Graphs

Also known as a Percentage Stacked Area Graph.

A 100% Stacked Area Graph is a type of visualisation where percentages are plotted against a fixed Y-axis ranging from 0 to 100%. The X-axis is used for the time scale, which makes this chart ideal for showing the changing overall percentages of categories over time.

100% Stacked Area Graph

The data series for each category is colour-coded, which helps to illustrate a part-to-whole relationship. The height of each coloured stack indicates the percentage proportion of that category at a specific point in time in relation to the other categories.

When reading a 100% Stacked Area Graph, focus on which coloured areas are growing or shrinking as they move across the time axis. Also, you can check what coloured areas take up the biggest or smallest section of the chart overall. This makes 100% Stacked Area Graphs handy for emphasising percentage contributions rather than absolute values.

Avoid using a 100% Stacked Area Graph when there are too many data series, as this can make the chart overly crowded and hard to read. One solution to this issue could be to group minor categories under an ‘other’ category. Also, be aware that the ordering of the categories can affect the interpretation of the chart.

Tools to generate this chart:
AmCharts
AnyChart
Highcharts
R
Python
Vizzlo
ZingChart

Examples

Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region
Our World in Data

World population living in extreme poverty, World, 1820 to 2015
Our World in Data

Figure 2: Youth population in formal education and/or in the labour force by age, EU, 2022
Source: Eurostat, EU Labour Force Survey

Catholic Leadership Is More Diverse Than Ever
HuffPost

Electrification and Decarbonisation
CO2 Balance

100% Stacked Area Graph

Related posts:
Further Exploration #7 – Area Graph Variations

Chart Types Data Visualization

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