Which Is The Best Visualization? Histogram vs Bar Chart

TL;DR

For a quick summary, here are the main points to keep in mind about histograms and bar charts:

• Histograms display the distribution of continuous data and help identify patterns or outliers.
• Use histograms when analyzing data distributions to reveal underlying patterns.
• Use bar charts to compare categories and highlight differences within groups.

Clear and impactful insights start with choosing the right visualization. As data lovers, we often reach for charts to help translate rows of data into patterns that are easy to understand. But here’s the challenge: not all visualizations are created equal, and every chart isn’t suited to every data type. 

As two popular options, histograms and bar charts bring unique strengths to data storytelling yet are often mistaken for one another. Understand the differences and know when to use each to enhance your presentation.

At first glance, histograms and bar charts might look similar, but each serves a different purpose. Histograms show distributions within continuous data, and bar charts compare categories. Misinterpreting one for the other can result in misleading analyses and misinformed decisions. Let’s walk through the characteristics of each, review practical examples, and explore when to use a histogram versus a bar chart to bring your data to life.

When are bar charts most useful?

Bar charts are one of the most versatile and commonly used tools in data visualization. They’re particularly effective when you need to compare groups side by side. They consist of rectangular bars where the length or height of each bar corresponds to the value it represents. These values are often frequencies, percentages, or other measures that make it easy to see differences between groups at a glance.

A distinguishing feature of bar charts is that the bars are separated. This reinforces that each bar represents a distinct category, making it easy to compare them individually. Bar charts can be vertical or horizontal, and they’re highly customizable for flexibility in showcasing information.

When to use a bar chart

Depending on your needs, there are different types of bar charts:

• Vertical bar charts: The most common, with categories on the x axis and values on the y axis.
• Horizontal bar charts: Useful when category names are long, or you have several categories to display.
• Stacked bar charts: Show parts of a whole to compare subcategories within each bar.

Bar charts are effective when you need to:

• Compare categories or groups: Whether it’s product sales, survey results, or website traffic sources, bar charts help highlight differences between distinct groups.
• Display discrete data: Ideal for representing counts of items or frequency within specific, non-overlapping groups, like the number of votes each candidate received in an election.
• Showcase survey results or preferences: Often used in marketing and research to display responses in a straightforward way, like showing the percentage of people who prefer various streaming services.

While great for comparing distinct categories, they’re not good at displaying changes over time or how data is distributed. That’s where other visuals, like line charts or histograms, come into play.

How to showcase data effectively with histograms

A histogram is a great way to see how data points are spread across a range of values. Histograms show how frequently data falls within intervals, called bins. Bins group data into ranges, making it easier to see patterns, detect outliers, and understand the shape of your data.

Histograms have contiguous bars representing the frequency of data in each bin. This continuous flow across the x-axis calls attention to the data being sequential and belonging to a unified range. The height of each bar corresponds to the frequency of values within that range, painting a clear picture of its density.

Histograms are useful in fields like statistics, finance, and scientific research, where it’s important to understand how data is spread. 

When to use a histogram

Consider using a histogram when you need to:

• Analyze data distribution: Histograms allow you to see the spread and density of data points across data, such as scores on a test, helping identify how many students scored within each range.
• Identify patterns and outliers: Histograms help you spot unusual data points or anomalies, which can be useful in quality control or fraud detection.
• Represent continuous data: If your data falls within a continuous range, like income levels within a population or the frequency of ages in a demographic study. Histograms provide an intuitive way to visualize that range.

When to use a histogram vs bar chart

Data visualization helps you make sense of large datasets, communicate findings, and drive decision-making. As you do so, choosing the right medium to present that data can be the difference between a clear insight and a confusing chart. For those who work directly with raw data, histograms and bar charts are familiar tools. But what exactly sets them apart, and when should you use each one?

A histogram reflects the distribution of continuous data to see patterns across intervals or bins. It’s perfect for seeing trends or outliers. On the other hand, a bar chart is useful for comparing discrete categories. It highlights differences between distinct groups, making it easy to compare one category against another.

Not knowing when to use one over the other can lead to confusing visualizations and muddled insights. 

Here’s some considerations to help you decide between a histogram vs a bar chart:

Data type representation

Use histograms to look at data spread across intervals. Use bar charts for categorical data so each bar represents a distinct category.

Differences between the X and Y axis

In histograms, the x-axis represents continuous ranges, while the y-axis shows the frequency of data points within each range. In contrast, the x-axis in a bar chart lists specific categories, and the y-axis represents values tied to each category.

Data distribution and interpretation

Histograms make spotting trends, clusters, and outliers easy. They’re useful for understanding the shape of your data and detecting skewness or bimodality. Bar charts, however, are built for quick comparisons across categories, perfect for when you want to emphasize differences.

Flexibility in data arrangement

Bar charts allow more flexibility when organizing data. You can sort categories alphabetically, by value, or in any other order that makes sense for your analysis. With histograms, bin ranges are set according to the data’s natural progression, so reordering isn’t an option.

The final decision: Bar charts vs histograms

Bar charts and histograms each provide distinct insights, so the choice between them hinges on the type of analysis you’re conducting. If you’re examining a dataset to grasp its overall structure and identify patterns within specific ranges, a histogram offers the clearest view. 

On the other hand, if your goal is to compare distinct groups or categories to see how they measure up against one another, a bar chart is a better option.

Sigma empowers you to make better-informed decisions, converting data into actionable insights in just a few clicks.

Histogram vs bar chart frequently asked questions

How do you know when to use a bar chart or a histogram?

Use a bar chart to compare distinct categories (like survey responses or product types) and a histogram to show the distribution of continuous data (like age ranges or income levels) across intervals. Bar charts highlight differences between groups, while histograms show patterns within a data range.

How can you tell if a chart is a histogram?

In a histogram, the bars touch, representing continuous data across ranges. In contrast, a bar chart has spaced bars representing separate categories.

What makes a histogram misleading?

Histograms can mislead if bin sizes are too broad or too narrow, obscuring data patterns. Consistent bin sizing helps keep the distribution accurate and interpretable.

How is a histogram different from a bar chart?

Histograms display continuous data distributions with touching bars, while bar charts compare categories with separate bars. Histograms show density within ranges; bar charts highlight category differences.

What are the similarities between bar charts and histograms?

Both use bars to represent data visually, with values shown along the x and y axes. Despite their structural similarity, they serve different purposes.