A stacked area chart shows how a total changes over time and how much each part contributes to it. This guide builds one in PlotSet from the latest world energy figures, so you can see what the chart does well, where it misleads, and how to set it up in a few minutes.
What is a stacked area chart?
A stacked area chart is a line chart in which each series is drawn as a filled band on top of the one below, so the top edge shows the total and the thickness of each band shows that part's share. It answers two questions at once: is the whole growing, and which parts are driving it? Use it for a handful of series measured in the same unit over a continuous time axis.
It sits between two simpler charts. A plain area chart shows one series, or several overlapping ones, and a stacked column chart shows the same composition for a few separate periods instead of a continuous run of years.
The example: 60 years of world energy
The Energy Institute's Statistical Review of World Energy tracks how much primary energy the world uses, by source, every year since 1965. The chart below stacks the eight sources reported by Our World in Data, from coal at the bottom to other renewables at the top, in thousands of terawatt-hours.
Three things stand out, and each is something a stacked area chart is built to show:
- The total keeps rising. World energy use grew from about 41,600 TWh in 1965 to 166,800 TWh in 2025, roughly four times as much. Dips are rare and short: the early 1980s, 2009 and 2020.
- Fossil fuels are still most of the stack. Coal, oil and gas made up 97% of the total in 1965, 89% in 2000 and 86% in 2025.
- The new bands are thin but growing fast. Solar grew by about 30% in 2025 alone, yet oil and gas together added about 1,090 TWh that year, more than solar and wind combined (about 840 TWh).
| Source | 2025 (thousand TWh) | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 55.8 | 33.5% |
| Coal | 46.1 | 27.7% |
| Gas | 41.9 | 25.1% |
| Nuclear | 8.6 | 5.2% |
| Hydropower | 4.5 | 2.7% |
| Other renewables | 4.3 | 2.6% |
| Solar | 2.8 | 1.7% |
| Wind | 2.7 | 1.6% |
How to create a stacked area chart in PlotSet
- Shape the data wide. One row per time point and one column per series:
Year, Coal, Oil, Gas, Nuclear, Hydropower, Wind, Solar, Other renewables. Every series must use the same unit, and the rows should already be in time order. - Order the columns on purpose. The first value column is drawn at the bottom. Put the largest or most stable series there, and the one you want readers to watch at the top, where its upper edge is the total line.
- Open the stacked area template. Start a new project, search the template list for "Area chart (stacked)", and open it. Sample data is already in place, so you see the layout before you change anything.
- Upload or paste your data. Upload a CSV (export one from Excel), paste rows from a spreadsheet, or import a Google Sheet by its URL.
- Check the bindings. The first column feeds the time axis and every other column becomes a band. If you add series, extend the values range so the last column is not left out; in the example the range is B to I.
- Turn off the secondary axis. A stacked chart needs every band on one scale. If the template offers a dual axis, switch it off so the top series is not plotted against a separate axis on the right.
- Colour by meaning. Here the fossil fuels share one family of greys and the low-carbon sources get distinct colours, so the eye separates the two groups before it reads any label. Add a legend, a title that states the finding, and the source.
- Publish, embed or export. Publish for an interactive chart where hovering a year shows every band's value, copy the embed code, or export a PNG, SVG or JPG.
When a stacked area chart is the wrong choice
- You need to compare the middle bands. Only the bottom band and the total sit on a flat baseline. Every other band floats on the ones below, so its trend is hard to read. Use a line chart when the series themselves are the story.
- You have more than seven or eight series. Thin bands become slivers. Group the smallest into "Other", or use small multiples.
- Some values are negative. Stacking only works for parts of a positive whole. Net flows and changes belong in a column chart.
- You care about shares, not amounts. Switch to a 100% stacked area, so every year reaches the same height and the bands show percentages.
- The parts flow around a centre line. For many categories that rise and fall, a stream graph can read better. See the stream graph guide.
For a wider view of which chart fits which question, see choosing the right chart for your data.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an area chart and a stacked area chart?
An area chart fills the space under one line, or overlaps several lines with transparent fills. A stacked area chart places each series on top of the previous one, so the top edge is the sum of all series and the bands show the parts.
When should I use a stacked area chart?
Use it when you have a few series in the same unit, a continuous time axis, and two questions: how the total changes and which parts drive it. Energy by source, revenue by product line and population by age group are typical examples.
How many series can a stacked area chart show?
Five to seven is comfortable, and eight is about the limit. Beyond that the thin bands are unreadable, so group the smallest into "Other".
Can a stacked area chart show percentages?
Yes. A 100% stacked area chart scales each time point to the same total, so every band shows its share. It hides whether the total grew, so say so in the subtitle or show the totals elsewhere.
Why is my stacked area chart missing a series?
Usually the value binding stops one column short. Extend the range of value columns to include the last series and check that every column holds numbers, not text.
