Creating histograms in excel

Watch Video – 3 Ways to Create a Histogram Chart in Excel

A histogram is a common data analysis tool in the business world. It’s a column chart that shows the frequency of the occurrence of a variable in the specified range.

According to Investopedia, a Histogram is a graphical representation, similar to a bar chart in structure, that organizes a group of data points into user-specified ranges. The histogram condenses a data series into an easily interpreted visual by taking many data points and grouping them into logical ranges or bins.

A simple example of a histogram is the distribution of marks scored in a subject. You can easily create a histogram and see how many students scored less than 35, how many were between 35-50, how many between 50-60 and so on.

There are different ways you can create a histogram in Excel:

• If you’re using Excel 2016, there is an in-built histogram chart option that you can use.
• If you’re using Excel 2013, 2010 or prior versions (and even in Excel 2016), you can create a histogram using Data Analysis Toolpack or by using the FREQUENCY function (covered later in this tutorial)

Let’s see how to make a Histogram in Excel.

Creating a Histogram in Excel 2016

Excel 2016 got a new addition in the charts section where a histogram chart was added as an inbuilt chart.

In case you’re using Excel 2013 or prior versions, check out the next two sections (on creating histograms using Data Analysis Toopack or Frequency formula).

Suppose you have a dataset as shown below. It has the marks (out of 100) of 40 students in a subject.

Here are the steps to create a Histogram chart in Excel 2016:

1. Select the entire dataset.
2. Click the Insert tab.
3. In the Charts group, click on the ‘Insert Static Chart’ option.
4. In the HIstogram group, click on the Histogram chart icon.

The above steps would insert a histogram chart based on your data set (as shown below).

Now you can customize this chart by right-clicking on the vertical axis and selecting Format Axis.

This will open a pane on the right with all the relevant axis options.

Here are some of the things you can do to customize this histogram chart:

1. By Category: This option is used when you have text categories. This could be useful when you have repetitions in categories and you want to know the sum or count of the categories. For example, if you have sales data for items such as Printer, Laptop, Mouse, and Scanner, and you want to know the total sales of each of these items, you can use the By Category option. It isn’t helpful in our example as all our categories are different (Student 1, Student 2, Student3, and so on.)
2. Automatic: This option automatically decides what bins to create in the Histogram. For example, in our chart, it decided that there should be four bins. You can change this by using the ‘Bin Width/Number of Bins’ options (covered below).
3. Bin Width: Here you can define how big the bin should be. If I enter 20 here, it will create bins such as 36-56, 56-76, 76-96, 96-116.
4. Number of Bins: Here you can specify how many bins you want. It will automatically create a chart with that many bins. For example, if I specify 7 here, it will create a chart as shown below. At a given point, you can either specify Bin Width or Number of Bins (not both).
5. Overflow Bin: Use this bin if you want all the values above a certain value clubbed together in the Histogram chart. For example, if I want to know the number of students that have scored more than 75, I can enter 75 as the Overflow Bin value. It will show me something as shown below.
6. Underflow Bin: Similar to Overflow Bin, if I want to know the number of students that have scored less than 40, I can enter 4o as the value and show a chart as shown below.

Once you have specified all the settings and have the histogram chart you want, you can further customize it (changing the title, removing gridlines, changing colors, etc.)

Creating a Histogram Using Data Analysis Tool pack

The method covered in this section will also work for all the versions of Excel (including 2016). However, if you’re using Excel 2016, I recommend you use the inbuilt histogram chart (as covered below)

To create a histogram using Data Analysis tool pack, you first need to install the Analysis Toolpak add-in.

This add-in enables you to quickly create the histogram by taking the data and data range (bins) as inputs.

Installing the Data Analysis Tool Pack

To install the Data Analysis Toolpak add-in:

• Click the File tab and then select ‘Options’.

• In the Excel Options dialog box, select Add-ins in the navigation pane.

• In the Manage drop-down, select Excel Add-ins and click Go.

• In the Add-ins dialog box, select Analysis Toolpak and click OK.

This would install the Analysis Toolpak and you can access it in the Data tab in the Analysis group.

Creating a Histogram using Data Analysis Toolpak

Once you have the Analysis Toolpak enabled, you can use it to create a histogram in Excel.

Suppose you have a dataset as shown below. It has the marks (out of 100) of 40 students in a subject.

To create a histogram using this data, we need to create the data intervals in which we want to find the data frequency. These are called bins.

With the above dataset, the bins would be the marks intervals.

You need to specify these bins separately in an additional column as shown below:

Now that we have all the data in place, let’s see how to create a histogram using this data:

• Click the Data tab.
• In the Analysis group, click on Data Analysis.

• In the ‘Data Analysis’ dialog box, select Histogram from the list.

• Click OK.
• In the Histogram dialog box:
  • Select the Input Range (all the marks in our example)
  • Select the Bin Range (cells D2:D7)
  • Leave the Labels checkbox unchecked (you need to check it if you included labels in the data selection).
  • Specify the Output Range if you want to get the Histogram in the same worksheet.  Else, choose New Worksheet/Workbook option to get it in a separate worksheet/workbook.
  • Select Chart Output.

• Click OK.

This would insert the frequency distribution table and the chart in the specified location.

Now there are some things you need to know about the histogram created using the Analysis Toolpak:

• The first bin includes all the values below it. In this case, 35 shows 3 values indicating that there are three students who scored less than 35.
• The last specified bin is 90, however, Excel automatically adds another bin – More. This bin would include any data point which lies after the last specified bin. In this example, it means that there are 2 students who have scored more than 90.
  • Note that even if I add the last bin as 100, this additional bin would still be created.
• This creates a static histogram chart. Since Excel creates and pastes the frequency distribution as values, the chart would not update when you change the underlying data. To refresh it, you’ll have to create the histogram again.
  • The default chart is not always in the best format. You can change the formatting like any other regular chart.
• Once created, you can not use Control + Z to revert it. You’ll have to manually delete the table and the chart.

If you create a histogram without specifying the bins (i.e., you leave the Bin Range empty), it would still create the histogram. It would automatically create six equally spaced bins and used this data to create the histogram.

Creating a Histogram using FREQUENCY Function

If you want to create a histogram that is dynamic (i.e., updates when you change the data), you need to resort to formulas.

In this section, you’ll learn how to use the FREQUENCY function to create a dynamic histogram in Excel.

Again, taking the student’s marks data, you need to create the data intervals (bins) in which you want to show the frequency.

Here is the function that will calculate the frequency for each interval:

=FREQUENCY(B2:B41,D2:D8)

Since this is an array formula, you need to use Control + Shift + Enter, instead of just Enter.

Here are the steps to make sure you get the correct result:

• Select all cells adjacent to the bins. In this case, these are E2:E8.
• Press F2 to get into the edit mode for cell E2.
• Enter the frequency formula: =FREQUENCY(B2:B41,D2:D8)
• Hit Control + Shift + Enter.

With the result that you get, you can now create a histogram (which is nothing but a simple column chart).

Here are some important things you need to know when using the FREQUENCY function:

• The result is an array and you can not delete a part of the array. If you need to, delete all the cells that have the frequency function.
• When a bin is 35, the frequency function would return a result that includes 35. So 35 means score up to 35, and 50 would mean score more than 35 and up to 50.

Also, let’s say you want to have the specified data intervals till 80, and you want to group all the result above 80 together, you can do that using the FREQUENCY function. In that case, select one more cell than the number of bins. For example, if you have 5 bins, then select 6 cells as shown below:

FREQUENCY function would automatically calculate all the values above 80 and return the count.

You May Also Like the Following Excel Tutorials:

• Creating a Pareto Chart in Excel.
• Creating a Gantt Chart in Excel.
• Creating a Milestone Chart in Excel.
• How to Make a Bell Curve in Excel.
• How to Create a Bullet Chart in Excel.
• How to Create a Heat Map in Excel.
• Standard Deviation in Excel.
• Area Chart in Excel.
• Advanced Excel Charts.
• Creating Excel Dashboards.

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A histogram chart is a great way to present your data. It groups your data into bins or classes and shows the number of items per bin. For example: Your data has “Big Mac” prices in different countries. A histogram shows how many countries have a Big Mac price between 1 and 2 USD, 2 and 3 USD and so on.

This article introduces three methods in Excel how to create a histogram. Please also feel free to download all examples in an Excel file.

Example and download

All 3 methods of how to create a histogram chart will be shown with a simple example. You got a table with two columns like shown on the right-hand side:

1. A country name.
2. The local price of a Big Mac, converted into USD.

The data is taken from this website. Please feel to download all examples in one Excel file. Just click this download link (file size: 48 KB).

Method 1: Use the built-in histogram chart type

Since Excel 2016, there is a built-in chart type called “histogram”. It easily inserts a histogram. Just follow these steps:

1. Select your data.
2. Click on the histogram icon in the center of the “Insert” ribbon. Select the histogram chart.
3. That’s it, you already got a histogram.
4. Now you can start fine-tuning your histogram. To achieve this, double click on the x-Axis.
5. On the right-hand side, you’ll see the “Format Axis” pane. Under “Axis Options”, you can set the main preferences.
   1. Most important is probably the “Bin width”. By default, it’s “Automatic”. You could switch it to “Bin width” and set the desired class width, e.g. “1 USD”.
   2. Alternatively, you can let Excel define the bins automatically or define the number of bins.
   3. Also important: Do you want to set an individual “underflow” bin or and “overflow” bin. Excel then summarizes all items below the underflow bin into one column on your chart.
6. Number 6 on the screenshots shows the result, if you set the bin width to “1.0”, the overflow bin to “6.0” and the underflow bin to “2.0”. Now you can proceed defining the layout, e.g. colors, fonts and titles.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Easy to use and histograms can be created very quickly.	Only available with Excel 2016 or later. Not many options for customizing your chart.

Method 2: Use a PivotTable and group the data

The second method also works with Excel versions before 2016. You insert a PivotChart and use the function to group the data. Follow these steps (the numbers relate to the pictures).

1. Select your data.
2. Click on “PivotChart” in the “Charts” section of the “Insert” ribbon.
3. Make sure the settings are correct (the correct table range and the location is selected). Confirm with OK.
4. You now see a blank PivotTable range and an empty PivotChart. Also, the “PivotChart Fields” pane on the right-hand side opens. If you can’t see the “PivotChart Fields” pane on the right-hand side, right-click into the empty PivotTable and click on “Show Field List”.
   Drag and drop the numeric values into the “Rows” section. Then drag and drop the item names (here: “Country”) into the “Values” section. Make sure, that it says “Count of Country” instead of “Sum of Country”. If it doesn’t say “Count of…” (e.g. “Sum of…”), right-click into your PivotTable in the column of “Sum of Country”, click on “Summarize Values By…” and check “Count”.
5. Now right-click on any cell of the the “Row Labels” column.
6. Click on “Group…”.
7. Define your classes:
   1. “Starting at” is the minimum value, ending at the maximum value.
   2. “By” defines the class width.
      To change the values later on, repeat from step 5 above.
8. After clicking on OK, you see a chart similar to number 8. You can proceed with the layout of your chart.

Advantages	Disadvantages
More flexible than the histogram chart type in method 1. It’s comparatively easy to insert a histogram chart (compared to the manual method 3 below). Works with Excel versions before Excel 2016.	When you insert a PivotChart, a PivotTable is automatically created as well. PivotChart fields are always shown.

Method 3: Prepare your data manually

The concept of the third method is to prepare your data in a way that you only have to insert a simple column chart. Therefore, you have to prepare a table with the class limits and insert the class into your existing data.

Please look at the image on the right-hand side. As you can see, you got two tables:

• Table A contains your original table with an additional column for the class name.
• Table B contains the classes. For each class, it has the lower limit, the upper limit, the average, a class name as well as the number of items (here: countries). The final chart will only refer to the last two columns of this table.

Step by step:

1. Create a table with your classes. You need to set a lower and an upper limit.
   Recommendation: You could also make it dynamic, so that the user can define the class with (cell J1 in this example has the class with). E.g. cell C3 has this formula =F3+$J$1 .
2. In number four, you later on use the SUMIFS formula. You will then return the class average, which you insert into column H.
3. Furthermore, you create another column in table B with a class name. This class name will be shown in your chart and should be easier to read.
4. Insert the class average into a new column in your original data table. You can do this with this SUMIFS formula:
   =SUMIFS(H:H,F:F,”<“&C3,G:G,”>=”&C3)
   The SUMIFS formula returns the class average from column H under the following conditions: The value in column F (the lower range limit) is smaller than your search value (here the dollar_price in cell C3). The second condition is that the upper range limit (column G) is larger than the search value (again cell C3). Please refer to this article for more information about classifying data with the SUMIFS formula.
5. Add another column to table B. Count how many items of your original data in column A are within the range of each class. To achieve this, use the COUNTIFS formula:
   =COUNTIFS(D:D,H3)
   Now you can insert a column chart, using the class name for the x-axis and the number of items for y-values.

Advantages	Disadvantages
This method is most flexible. You can define the class width (the class width can be different for each class) as well as the chart layout in detail. This method doesn’t require Excel 2016. It also works with earlier versions of Excel. You don’t have to insert a PivotTable.	Creating a histogram manually takes more time and effort. You also need a basic understanding of the necessary formulas.

Recommendation

Which method is suitable for you?

• Your version of Excel is older than Excel 2016? Method 1 is not suitable for you. (Here is how to check the version of Excel you use).
• You are in a hurry? Check methods 1 or 2.
• You hate (or don’t know) PivotTables? Try methods 1 or 3.
• You are willing to spend some effort in order to create the best layout? Try method 3.

Henrik Schiffner is a freelance business consultant and software developer. He lives and works in Hamburg, Germany. Besides being an Excel enthusiast he loves photography and sports.

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It’s a step-by-step tutorial to create a HISTOGRAM in Excel in different ways in a different version of Excel.

A histogram is a column or a bar chart that represents values using a range. Think of a class teacher who wants to present marks of students using a category range (Bins). In the class, she has 50 students, and to present the performance of the class, she can use the distribution of students according to their marks using a histogram.

In this guide, I’ll be sharing with you everything you need to master this chart. So stay with me for the next few minutes…

• 2016
• 2013
• Mac
• Pivot
• Other

Steps to Make a Histogram in Excel 2016

If you are like me, using Excel 2016 I’ve got good news for you and the good news is, that there is an inbuilt option to create a histogram in this version of Excel.

Let’s suppose you have a list of employees (here is the list) and their period of employment with the company.

And now you need to create a histogram that should show the number of employees in a particular period range (Bin).

Follow these simple steps:

• First of all, select the data and go to the Insert Tab ➜ Charting ➜ Insert Statistic Charts ➜ Histogram ➜ Histogram, to insert the chart.

In reality, this is the only step you need to follow, your chart is there in your spreadsheet.

You can delete the chart title and gridlines if you want.

Pro Tip When you’re using Excel 2016 make sure to convert your data into an Excel table to make it dynamic. So whenever you add new data to it, your chart gets updated automatically.

…download this sample file from here to learn more.

But now you need to have a look at how can you customize it and all the options you have with it.

Let’s explore some of the main options related to bins one by one:

• Now, select your chart’s axis and right-click on it, and open “Format Axis”.

1. By Categories

If you think about the data we are using here, every entry is unique as each employee’s name is different.

But if you have data where you have repetitive entries, then you can use this option to create a chart based on the SUM or COUNT of those categories instead of numeric bins.

In this case, the bins would be the categories not the distribution of numerical data.

2 Automatic

When you create a histogram, Excel creates bins automatically using the range of the values you have. In simple words, this option is the default way to make a histogram.

3. Bin Width

By using this option, you can specify the width of the Bins. Let’s say if you want to make each bin have 10 then this will create each bin of 0-10, 10-20, and so on.

With this option you have control over the width of the bin and Excel will create the number of bins using the width you specified. Let’s say you have values from 1 to 20 and you want bin width 4, then Excel will create 5 bins like this:

4. Number of Bin

And if you want to specify the number of bins instead of the range you can click on this option and enter the number. Let’s say if you want to have 3 bins and the range of values is 0-15 then Excel will create bins like:

5. Overflow Bin Underflow Bin

These two options help you to create more than or less than bins in the chart. Let say, you want to have a bin for the employees with a working period of fewer than 10 years.

You can simply enter 10 in the underflow. Or, if you want to have a Bin for the employees having a working period of more than 20 years, enter 20 in the overflow.

Steps to Create a Histogram Chart in Excel 2013 (Data Analysis Tool Pack)

If you are using Excel 2013 or a lower version then you need to follow different steps to create this chart.

There is ADD-IN which you need to install, “Analysis Tool Pack”. It comes with your Excel but you need to install it.

So let’s learn to install it (I’m using screenshots for Excel 2016 but the steps are the same in all the Excel versions) and then we’ll get into making a histogram.

Steps to Install Data Analysis Tool Pack

Once you click OK, it will process for a few seconds and you’re ready to go. You’ll have a “Data Analysis” button in the Data tab.

…make sure to download this sample data file from here to follow along.

Before you create a histogram using “Analysis Took Pack” you need to create Bins. Yes, manually. but it’s a simple thing, you know. Here we need bins like below or whatever you want to make.

Now let’s follow these simple steps to insert the histogram and make sure you have this data file with you to follow along.

1. Input Range: The range where you have employee years with the company (Make sure to only select the values without heading).
2. Bin Range: The range where you have bins, yes the one we have just created (Make sure to only select the values without heading).
3. Output Option: Select the “New Worksheet” for the output and tick mark the “Chart Output” for the chart.

• In the end, click OK.

Once you click OK you’ll have a new worksheet with a chart and a frequency.

…here’s the sample file with a histogram created using “Analysis Tool Pack”. 

Important Points You Need to Understand when you are using “Analysis Took Pack” to Create a Histogram in Excel

Creating a Histogram in the Excel for Mac [2011]

To create a histogram in the Mac version of Excel [2011] we need to install the “Analysis Tool Pack” as well.

…make sure to download this sample file to follow along.

Activating “Analysis Tool Pack” in Excel Mac

Follow these simple steps to activate “Analysis Tool Pack” in Excel Mac

Now the next step.

Step to Create a Histogram [Mac Excel]

Before you create your chart, make sure to create the bins as we have made in the above method. And, if you don’t know about the Bins, make sure to read about them in the above section of this post.

1. Input Range: The range where you have employee years with the company (Make sure to only select the values without heading).
2. Bin Range: The range where you have bins, yes the one we have just created (Make sure to only select the values without heading).
3. Output Option: Select the “New Worksheet” for the output and tick mark the “Chart Output” for the chart.

• After that, click OK.

Once you click OK, it’ll insert a new worksheet with the frequency table and a histogram.

…download the final file from here to learn more.

Create a Histogram using the Pivot table and Pivot Chart

When it comes to control and flexibility there is nothing like a pivot table and pivot chart. I have found a simple way to create a histogram by combining a pivot table and a pivot chart. The below chart is a pivot chart, can you believe it?

Let me tell you how it works (with the same employee data here).

Now you need to do a bit of customization in the chart to make it a perfect one.

Boom! your histogram is ready.

…download the final sample from here to learn more. 

Dynamic Histogram using FREQUENCY Function

If you create a histogram using “Analysis Tool Pack” it won’t be a dynamic one.

But…

You can create a dynamic histogram by using the FREQUENCY function. To use this function all you need is to create bins in the data (I’m using the same employee data here) and then enter the below formula in the formula bar:

=FREQUENCY(InputDataRange,BinRange)

Make sure to enter this formula as an array formula by using Alt + Shift + Enter.

After that, you just need to insert a normal column chart using the table we have just created.

And don’t forget to change the gap width to 0% from “Format Data Series” options.

…download the sample file from here to learn more.

When You Need to Create a Histogram

Creating a histogram in Excel is not rocket science, but you need to be aware of the situations where it can be helpful and useful.

1. To Present Large Data

Remember the example of the students? Sometimes it’s hard to present data in a normal chart (Line, Column, or Bar). But with a histogram, you can make bins and present large data in a simple chart.

2. To Understand the Distribution

A histogram not only distributes data into bins but also helps you to understand the distribution. Looking at the below histogram, you can understand that most of the students scored between 40 and 80. And 23 students scored above 60.

3. To Help in Decision Making

By using a histogram you can easily decide the students who need to work on their performance. Once you know the numbers in the distribution you can separately focus on each distribution.

What are Bins?

Bin (Bucket) is a range of values in which you distribute the frequency of occurrence. Normally, when someone makes a histogram he/she needs to create bins before but in while making a histogram in Excel you don’t need to create bins.

In the end

If you are using Excel 2016 then there is a simple one-click way to create a histogram as it’s there already. Otherwise, you can use the “Analysis Tool Pack”, but you need to install it first to use it.

Well, if you ask me, my favorite method to make a histogram is by using a pivot chart as it’s way more dynamic and gives you more options to control the chart.

But now you have to tell me one thing. Which method is your favorite?

Make sure to share your views with me in the comment section, I’d love to hear from you. And please, don’t forget to share this post with your friends, I am sure they will appreciate it.

More Charting Tips and Tutorials

• Add a Horizontal Line in a Chart in Excel
• How to Add a Vertical Line in a Chart in Excel
• How to Create a Bullet Chart in Excel
• How to Create a Dynamic Chart Range in Excel
• How to Create a Dynamic Chart Title in Excel
• How to Create Interactive Charts In Excel
• How to Create a Sales Funnel Chart in Excel
• How to Create a HEAT MAP in Excel
• How to Create a Pictograph in Excel
• How to Create a Milestone Chart in Excel
• How to Insert a People Graph in Excel
• How to Create PIVOT CHART in Excel
• How to Create a Population Pyramid Chart in Excel
• How to Create a SPEEDOMETER Chart [Gauge] in Excel
• How to Create a Step Chart in Excel
• How to Create a Thermometer Chart in Excel
• How to Create a Tornado Chart in Excel
• How to Create Waffle Chart in Excel

This example teaches you how to make a histogram in Excel.

1. First, enter the bin numbers (upper levels) in the range C4:C8.

2. On the Data tab, in the Analysis group, click Data Analysis.

Note: can’t find the Data Analysis button? Click here to load the Analysis ToolPak add-in.

3. Select Histogram and click OK.

4. Select the range A2:A19.

5. Click in the Bin Range box and select the range C4:C8.

6. Click the Output Range option button, click in the Output Range box and select cell F3.

7. Check Chart Output.

8. Click OK.

9. Click the legend on the right side and press Delete.

10. Properly label your bins.

11. To remove the space between the bars, right click a bar, click Format Data Series and change the Gap Width to 0%.

12. To add borders, right click a bar, click Format Data Series, click the Fill & Line icon, click Border and select a color.

Result:

If you have Excel 2016 or later, simply use the Histogram chart type.

13. Select the range A1:A19.

14. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click the Histogram symbol.

15. Click Histogram.

Result. A histogram with 3 bins.

Note: Excel uses Scott’s normal reference rule for calculating the number of bins and the bin width.

16. Right click the horizontal axis, and then click Format Axis.

The Format Axis pane appears.

17. Define the histogram bins. We’ll use the same bin numbers as before (see first picture on this page). Bin width: 5. Number of bins: 6. Overflow bin: 40. Underflow bin: 20.

Result:

Recall, we made the following histogram using the Analysis ToolPak (steps 1-12).

Conclusion: the bin labels look different, but the histograms are the same. ≤20 is the same as 0-20, (20, 25] is the same as 21-25, etc.

Tip: you can also use pivot tables to easily create a frequency distribution in Excel.