{"id":22186,"date":"2022-10-20T11:18:36","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T11:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/?p=22186"},"modified":"2026-02-18T15:12:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T10:12:57","slug":"best-graphs-for-categorical-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/best-graphs-for-categorical-data","title":{"rendered":"5 Best Graphs for Visualizing Categorical Data"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A categorical variable (also known as a nominal variable) has two or more categories.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best graphs for categorical data\" \/><\/div>\n<p><em>Here&#8217;s the twist.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>There is no explicit ordering in the categories.<\/p>\n<p>A binary data point such as a yes\/no question is a categorical value with two variables: no and yes.<\/p>\n<p>Hair color is a practical example of categorical data. This is because it has several categories, such as brunette, red, blonde, brown, gray, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no agreed way to order the hair color from highest to lowest.<\/p>\n<p><em>So, how do you analyze categorical data?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Well, one of the most straightforward analyses you can undertake is data visualization.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the best graphs for categorical data include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Treemap Chart<\/li>\n<li>Sunburst Chart<\/li>\n<li>Sankey Diagram<\/li>\n<li>Stacked Bar Chart<\/li>\n<li>Crosstab Chart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Well, Microsoft Excel has a sizable library of <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/types-of-charts-and-graphs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">charts and graphs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, it lacks ready-made and insightful charts for visualizing categorical data.<\/p>\n<p><em>So, how can you overcome this challenge?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Download and install a particular third-party application (add-in) if your goal is to get ready-to-use and easy-to-interpret graphs for visualizing categorical data.<\/p>\n<p><em>Keep reading to discover more about this add-in.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In this blog, you&#8217;ll learn:<\/p>\n<h3>Table of Content:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#Best-Graphs-for-Categorical-Data-Visualization\">What are the Best Graphs for Categorical Data Visualization?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Categorical-Data-Analysis\">What is Categorical Data Analysis?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Examples-of-Categorical-Data\">Examples of Categorical Data<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Best-Graph-to-Use-When-Display-Categorical-Data\">The Best Graph to Use To Display Categorical Data<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How-to-Represent-Categorical-Data-with-an-Example\">How to Represent Categorical Data?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wrap-up\">Wrap Up<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"Best-Graphs-for-Categorical-Data-Visualization\">What are the Best Graphs for Categorical Data Visualization?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Definition:<\/strong> The best graphs for categorical data visualization include bar charts, pie charts, column charts, stacked bar charts, <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/dot-plot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dot plots<\/a>, and frequency tables. They effectively display and compare the frequency or proportions of different categories.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Categorical-Data-Analysis\">What is Categorical Data Analysis?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Definition<\/strong>: Categorical data can easily be divided into groups. Some examples of categorical variables include age group, educational level, race, sex, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Categorical data analysis involves extracting insights into categorical data sets. There are multiple ways of analyzing this data type e.g. <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/funnel-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">funnel chart<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, we recommend data storytelling through data visualization because it&#8217;s straightforward, especially if you have suitable charts.<\/p>\n<p><em>Check out the example below.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Imagine you&#8217;ve conducted a survey that involved about 20 respondents. Let&#8217;s assume the details you asked for are hair and eye color.<\/p>\n<p>The table below represents categorical data.<\/p>\n<table class=\"static\" style=\"table-layout: fixed; overflow-x: auto; border: 1px; font-size: 17px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\" width=\"256\"><strong>Eye Color<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\"><strong>Hair Color<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"64\"><strong>Blue<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"64\"><strong>Green<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"64\"><strong>Brown<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"64\"><strong>Black<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\">Blonde<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">2<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">2<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\">Red<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">2<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\">Brown<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">0<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">4<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"83\">Black<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">1<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">0<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">2<\/td>\n<td width=\"64\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In the scenario above, the aggregate number of respondents with blue eyes, irrespective of hair color, is 5.<\/p>\n<p>We can easily extract insights for now because the table is smaller. Imagine the table consisting of thousands of rows and columns of data.<\/p>\n<p><em>How long would it take you to visualize this massive table?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Therefore, we recommend you use <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/data-visualization-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">data visualization<\/a> to save time and resources.<\/p>\n<p><em>So, what are the best graphs for categorical data?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Stick around because this is the question we&#8217;ll address in the coming sections.<\/p>\n<p><em>You don&#8217;t want to miss this.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Besides categorical data (also known as nominal), there&#8217;s also <strong>ordinal data type.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ordinal data<\/strong> has a set order or scale to it.<\/p>\n<p><em>Example of ordinal data.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Let us assume 100 respondents earning between $1000 to $10,000 monthly participated in a survey that measures the level of happiness.<\/p>\n<p>A fresh graduate earning a salary of $3,000 per month may be on an 8\/10 scale. Conversely, a father of 4 earning $7,000 may rate his happiness as 3\/10.<\/p>\n<p>Check out our easy-to-follow examples of categorical data.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Examples-of-Categorical-Data\">Examples of Categorical Data<\/h2>\n<p>Some of the categorical data points include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Survey on a topic\n<ul>\n<li>Do you have children? (Yes\/No)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Motives for employees to work better:\n<ul>\n<li>Peer Motivation<\/li>\n<li>To Be Recognized<\/li>\n<li>Opportunities for Professional Growth<\/li>\n<li>Work Culture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Motives for traveling\n<ul>\n<li>Leisure<\/li>\n<li>Business Travel<\/li>\n<li>To Visit Friends<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Checking account location\n<ul>\n<li>California<\/li>\n<li>Texas<\/li>\n<li>Colorado<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Educational level\n<ul>\n<li>Associate&#8217;s degree<\/li>\n<li>Bachelor&#8217;s degree<\/li>\n<li>Master&#8217;s degree<\/li>\n<li>Doctoral Degree<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Age group\n<ul>\n<li>Under 12 years old<\/li>\n<li>12-17 years old<\/li>\n<li>18-24 years old<\/li>\n<li>25-34 years old<\/li>\n<li>35-44 years old<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ethnicity\n<ul>\n<li>Hispanic<\/li>\n<li>African American<\/li>\n<li>Native American<\/li>\n<li>Asian<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Eye color\n<ul>\n<li>Green<\/li>\n<li>Blue<\/li>\n<li>Brown<\/li>\n<li>Black<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A categorical data with 2 possible values is called binary.<\/p>\n<p>For example, \u201cDo you have children?\u201d (Yes\/No).<\/p>\n<p><em>In the coming section, we&#8217;ll unveil the best graph to use when showing categorical data.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Best-Graph-to-Use-When-Display-Categorical-Data\">The Best Graph to Use To Display Categorical Data<\/h2>\n<p>Some of the best graphs for showing categorical data include:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Treemap<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-treemap-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best treemap graphs for categorical data\" width=\"639\" \/><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/treemap-in-excel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Treemaps<\/a> are one of the best graphs for categorical data visualization.<\/p>\n<p>The space within the chart is split up into rectangles sized and organized based on key data points.<\/p>\n<p>The levels in the Treemap Graph are depicted as boxes containing other smaller boxes, with each box representing a categorical data point. Mekko charts, which also visually break down data into segments, can be used alongside Treemaps to provide an additional layer of insight.<\/p>\n<p>To understand <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-graph-from-a-table\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how to make a graph from a table<\/a>, it&#8217;s helpful to visualize the data using these tools to gain a clearer perspective on the relationships between data points.<\/p>\n<p>To generate ready-made Treemaps and <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/mekko-charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mekko charts<\/a>, we suggest you use a game-changing tool (which we&#8217;ll talk about).<\/p>\n<h3>2. Sunburst Chart<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-sunburst-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best sunburst graphs for categorical data\" width=\"353\" \/><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/charts\/sunburst-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sunburst Chart<\/a> is one of the best graphs for categorical data analysis.<\/p>\n<p>It shows insights using a series of concentric rings, with each ring representing a specific data point, such as an <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/ielts-band-score-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IELTS band score<\/a>. Each ring illustrates the part-to-whole relationship of a categorical data point relative to the parent ring.<\/p>\n<p>Both Sunburst and Treemap charts are effective for visualizing categorical data; however, Sunburst visualization excels at demonstrating how a categorical data point is divided into its constituent variables.<\/p>\n<p>More so, the easy-to-interpret chart uses a <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/circular-charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">circular chart template<\/a> to create an immersive experience, especially among your target audiences (and readers).<\/p>\n<h3>3. Sankey Chart<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-sankey-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best sankey graphs for categorical data\" width=\"610\" \/><\/div>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/charts\/sankey-diagram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sankey plot<\/a> is one of the best graphs for categorical data visualization.<\/p>\n<p>It uses node-to-node flows to show insights into measurable resources, such as money, <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/energy-flow-diagram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">energy flow diagrams<\/a>, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Besides, it uses colors to draw the attention of your readers (or audience) to the largest flows.<\/p>\n<p>The wider the flow the larger the categorical data point. You can leverage this visualization to display insights into:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Energy efficiency<\/li>\n<li>Marketing campaigns<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/supply-chain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Supply chain management<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Production systems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>4. Stacked Bar Chart<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-stacked-bar-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best Stacked Bar graphs for categorical data\" width=\"608\" \/><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/stacked-bar-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stacked Bar Chart<\/a> is one of the best graphs for categorical data analysis.<\/p>\n<p>You can use this visualization design to track the trends of categorical data points over time. Each bar is divided into several sub-bars arranged end to end.<\/p>\n<p>It outdoes other charts in displaying part-to-whole relationships in variables.<\/p>\n<p><em>It gets better.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The visualization is straightforward to read and interpret, and it can handle bulky data without clutter. Use a simple or <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/clustered-stacked-bar-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">clustered stacked bar chart<\/a> to display how the composition of variables in your data changes over time.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Crosstab Chart<\/h3>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-crosstab-graphs-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best crosstab graphs for categorical data\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<p>A Crosstab Chart is a form of hierarchical visualization.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s created by stacking bars on each other.<\/p>\n<p>The chart is ideal for presenting hierarchical data. Each level is represented by a long bar.<\/p>\n<p>While a <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/charts\/bar-charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bar Chart<\/a> can only represent a single dimension of your data, a <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/cross-tabulation-in-excel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Crosstab Graph in Excel<\/a> can represent multiple dimensions at once.<\/p>\n<p>Each box is subdivided into smaller bars organized hierarchically. You can easily point out the contribution of the smaller bars relative to the parent bars.<\/p>\n<p>So, how can you access the best graphs for categorical data visualization- <em>Treemap, Crosstab, <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/charts\/scatter-plot-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scatter plot graph<\/a>, Stacked Bar, and Sankey Chart?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Excel is one of the most popular <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/data-visualization-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tools of visualization<\/a> among business owners. However, it lacks ready-made <strong>charts for visualizing categorical data.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re not advising you to do away with Excel.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s an <em>amazingly affordable tool<\/em> that comes as an add-in you can easily install in Excel to access <em>ready-to-go and easy-to-customize <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/tools\/excel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Excel graphs<\/a> and charts, like a <a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/pyramid-charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pyramid chart<\/a> for visualizing categorical data<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The application is called ChartExpo.<\/p>\n<p><em>What is ChartExpo?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ChartExpo<\/a> is an add-in you can easily install in your Excel to access ready-made and visually appealing Charts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Features and Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You don&#8217;t need sophisticated design skills to generate insightful charts for your stories. Save time with this drag-and-drop application.<\/li>\n<li>ChartExpo is a mere $10 a month after the end of the trial period. It&#8217;s cheaper than Starbucks.<\/li>\n<li>ChartExpo comes with a free 7-day trial. Essentially, if you&#8217;re unsatisfied with the tool within a week, you&#8217;re free to opt out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In the coming section, we&#8217;ll show you how to visualize categorical data using ChartExpo.<\/p>\n<p><em>You don&#8217;t want to miss it.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"How-to-Represent-Categorical-Data-with-an-Example\">How to Represent Categorical Data?<\/h2>\n<p>This section will use a Crosstab Chart to visualize the data table below.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example Data:<\/strong><\/p>\n<table class=\"static\" style=\"table-layout: fixed; overflow-x: auto; border: 1px; font-size: 17px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\"><strong>Cities<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"180\"><strong>Items<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"246\"><strong>Orders<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Los Angeles<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Clothing<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">5118<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Los Angeles<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Jewelry<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">5884<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Los Angeles<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Watches<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">5028<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Los Angeles<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Ceramics<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">3732<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Chicago<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Clothing<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">3899<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Chicago<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Jewelry<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">6478<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Chicago<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Watches<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">6176<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Chicago<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Ceramics<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">3983<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Phoenix<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Clothing<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">6271<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Phoenix<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Jewelry<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">6158<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Phoenix<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Watches<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">4034<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Phoenix<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Ceramics<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">5147<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Miami<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Clothing<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">3770<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Miami<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Jewelry<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">3356<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Miami<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Watches<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">4108<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"217\">Miami<\/td>\n<td width=\"180\">Ceramics<\/td>\n<td width=\"246\">4659<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>To get started with ChartExpo in Excel, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Open your Excel desktop application.<\/li>\n<li>Open the worksheet and click\u00a0the<strong> Insert<\/strong> button to\u00a0access the\u00a0<strong>My Apps <\/strong>option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4345 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/insert-chartexpo-in-excel.jpg\" alt=\"insert chartexpo in excel\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Click the <strong>Insert <\/strong>button to initiate the <strong>ChartExpo <\/strong>engine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4345 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/open-chartexpo-in-excel.jpg\" alt=\"open chartexpo in excel\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Once <strong>ChartExpo<\/strong> is loaded, you will see a list of charts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/list-of-charts-in-excel.jpg\" alt=\"list of charts in excel\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Look for the <strong>Crosstab Chart<\/strong>, and click on its icon to get started, as shown below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/search-crosstab-chart-in-excel.jpg\" alt=\"search crosstab Chart in excel\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Highlight your data and click the <strong>Create Chart From Selection<\/strong> button, as shown below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/create-crosstab-chart-in-excel-144.jpg\" alt=\"create crosstab Chart in excel\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Check out the final chart below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4345\" src=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/best-charts-for-categorical-data.jpg\" alt=\"best charts for categorical data\" width=\"650\" \/><\/div>\n<h4>Insights<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Phoenix accounts for 29% of all items ordered by clients. And in Phoenix, clothing and jewelry are the best sellers.<\/li>\n<li>Miami is the worst-performing and its worst-performing categories are jewelry and clothing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>FAQs:<\/h2>\n<h3>What is categorical data used for?<\/h3>\n<p>You can use categorical data for survey storytelling.<\/p>\n<p>Some examples of categorical variables include age group, educational level, race, sex, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Categorical data analysis involves extracting insights into categorical data sets. There are multiple ways of analyzing this data type.<\/p>\n<h3>What graph is best for 2 categorical variables?<\/h3>\n<p>There&#8217;s no single best chart for visualizing categorical data variables. However, some of the best graphs for categorical data visualization include <em>Treemap, Crosstab, Stacked Bar, and Sankey Chart.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>These charts are amazingly easy to read and interpret. Besides, if you have gaming-changing tools, such as ChartExpo, you can access ready-made categorical-oriented charts.<\/p>\n<h3>What two graphs are typically used to display categorical data?<\/h3>\n<p>Bar charts and pie charts are typically used to display categorical data. Bar charts compare the frequency or count of categories using bars, while pie charts show the proportions of categories as segments of a circle.<\/p>\n<h4 id=\"wrap-up\">Wrap Up<\/h4>\n<p>A categorical variable (also known as a nominal variable) has two or more categories. But there is no explicit ordering in the categories.<\/p>\n<p>A binary data point such as a yes\/no question is a categorical value with two variables: no and yes.<\/p>\n<p>Hair color is a practical example of categorical data. This is because it has several categories, such as brunette, red, blonde, brown, gray, etc.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no agreed way to order the hair color from highest to lowest.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most straightforward analyses you can undertake is data visualization.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the tested and proven charts for visualizing categorical data include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Treemap Chart<\/li>\n<li>Sunburst Chart<\/li>\n<li>Sankey Chart<\/li>\n<li>Stacked Bar Chart<\/li>\n<li>Crosstab Chart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><p>Click to learn the best graph for categorical data. Also, we\u2019ll address the following question: what is categorical data analysis?<\/p>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/best-graphs-for-categorical-data\"><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[739],"tags":[1127],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>5 Best Graphs for Visualizing Categorical Data -<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/chartexpo.com\/blog\/best-graphs-for-categorical-data\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"5 Best Graphs for Visualizing Categorical Data -\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Click to learn the best graph for categorical data. 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