Bar Graphs

A Bar Graph compares categorical variable(s) with a

quantitative variable. The categorical variable goes on the X axis, and the quantitative goes

on the Y axis.

For example…

Area Name% of Hispanics

(Dominican)

New York City 18.8%

Bronx 20.6%

Brooklyn 13.5%

Manhattan 32.6%

Queens 12.6%

Staten Island 3.5%

Categorical Variable: Borough

Quantitative Variable: Percent of Hispanics (Dominican)

A bar graph can also compare two categorical variables with a quantitative variable:

Area Name % of Hispanics (Dominican)

% of Hispanics (Puerto Rican)

New York City 18.8% 36.5%

Bronx 20.6% 49.5%

Brooklyn 13.5% 43.7%

Manhattan 32.6% 28.7%

Queens 12.6% 19.5%

Staten Island 3.5% 53.3%

Categorical Variables: Borough Hispanic Nation of Origin

Quantitative Variables: Percent of total Hispanics, by NOO

Option 1: Categorical Variable 1 together

Option 1: Categorical Variable 2 together

You can/should change the scale on the Y axis based on the range of your data

If you have two or more sets of quantitative data that combined

equal 100%, you can also make a Segmented Bar Graph

Percent White

Percent Non-White

Total

New York City 44.7% 55.3% 100%

Bronx 29.9% 70.1% 100%

Brooklyn 41.2% 58.8% 100%

Manhattan 54.3% 45.7% 100%

Queens 44.1% 55.9% 100%

Staten Island 77.7% 22.3% 100%