Time Series
Area Chart
Filled area under a line that emphasizes volume and magnitude over time.
Daily Active Users
Two-week trend
View data (15 rows)
| Day | Users |
|---|---|
| Mar 3 | 1200 |
| Mar 4 | 1400 |
| Mar 5 | 1350 |
| Mar 6 | 1600 |
| Mar 7 | 1800 |
| Mar 8 | 2200 |
| Mar 9 | 2000 |
| Mar 10 | 1500 |
| Mar 11 | 1700 |
| Mar 12 | 1650 |
| Mar 13 | 1900 |
| Mar 14 | 2100 |
| Mar 15 | 2500 |
| Mar 16 | 2300 |
| Mar 17 | 1800 |
Use an area chart when…
- Emphasizing magnitude/volume
- Showing cumulative values
- Single series trends
Avoid when…
- Multiple overlapping series (use line)
- When area doesn't add meaning
Data it needs
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Min Rows | 4 |
| Min Columns | 2 |
| Column Types | datenumber |
Visual anatomy
Marks
arealine
Channels
position-xheightcolor
Axes
x-timey-quantitative
Guiding principles
Consider instead
Common mistakes
Not starting y-axis at zero
Overlapping multiple opaque areas
History
Extension of Playfair's shaded line charts in his Commercial and Political Atlas (1786), the first known use of filled-area time-series in print.
Accessibility notes
Describe overall trend and key values. Use a gradient or pattern fill, and check that the fill color and the page background meet WCAG AA contrast — light mid-saturation fills can wash out for low-vision and color-vision-deficient readers.
Related reading
Got data? Let's see what works.
Drop your CSV. You'll get an Area Chart plus four alternatives - ranked by which one actually fits your data best.