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 City18.8% Bronx20.6% Brooklyn13.5% Manhattan32.6% Queens12.6% Staten Island3.5% 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 City18.8%36.5% Bronx20.6%49.5% Brooklyn13.5%43.7% Manhattan32.6%28.7% Queens12.6%19.5% Staten Island3.5%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 City44.7%55.3%100% Bronx29.9%70.1%100% Brooklyn41.2%58.8%100% Manhattan54.3%45.7%100% Queens44.1%55.9%100% Staten Island77.7%22.3%100%