# The best chart for a distribution

> Seventeen charts, and when each one fits.

**Short answer.** For the shape of one group, use a histogram. To compare the spread of several groups, use a box plot, or a ridgeline when the shape matters. For a range per item, use a dot strip; for estimates with uncertainty, a dot plot with intervals.

Updated Nov 2, 2026 · AI sample data

## 006 · Histogram

All 4,000 requests in 50 ms bins: P50 304 ms, P95 633 ms.

Response times of four models, 1,000 requests each, ms. 4,000 requests in 50 ms bins from 0 to 900 ms, 22 past 900 ms; P50 304 ms, P95 633 ms.

| Response time | Requests |
| --- | --- |
| 0–50 ms | 1 |
| 50–100 ms | 65 |
| 100–150 ms | 270 |
| 150–200 ms | 450 |
| 200–250 ms | 591 |
| 250–300 ms | 577 |
| 300–350 ms | 513 |
| 350–400 ms | 414 |
| 400–450 ms | 321 |
| 450–500 ms | 211 |
| 500–550 ms | 180 |
| 550–600 ms | 135 |
| 600–650 ms | 101 |
| 650–700 ms | 47 |
| 700–750 ms | 35 |
| 750–800 ms | 32 |
| 800–850 ms | 23 |
| 850–900 ms | 12 |
| Over 900 ms | 22 |

## 043 · Box plot

The same requests split by model: Orion has the slowest median.

Response times by model, ms. Five numbers per model, 1,000 requests each: Atlas 3 median 257 ms (195–336), Kite 2 median 311 ms (242–406), Orion median 414 ms (329–531), Nova median 234 ms (162–344).

| Model | Min | Q1 | Median | Q3 | Max |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Atlas 3 | 57 | 195 | 257 | 336 | 711 |
| Kite 2 | 96 | 242 | 311 | 406 | 768 |
| Orion | 116 | 329 | 414 | 531 | 936 |
| Nova | 48 | 162 | 234 | 344 | 844 |

## 055 · Ridgeline

The same four spreads as shapes: Orion spreads the widest.

Response time spread by model. Each model's spread drawn from its five numbers, centred on the median: Atlas 3 257 ms, quartiles 195–336; Kite 2 311 ms, quartiles 242–406; Orion 414 ms, quartiles 329–531; Nova 234 ms, quartiles 162–344.

**Same 4,000 requests.** The histogram gives the overall shape, with a long slow tail (22 requests over 900 ms). The box plot compares the models' middle halves, and the ridgeline shows each model's shape.

## If you ask

| Question | Use a |
| --- | --- |
| Where do most values sit? | 006 · Histogram |
| How do several groups' spreads compare? | 043 · Box plot |
| How do the shapes differ between groups? | 055 · Ridgeline |
| What is the usual range per item? | 033 · Dot strip |
| How sure is each estimate? | 050 · Dot plot with intervals |
| How evenly is a total shared? | 077 · Lorenz curve |

## All seventeen

| Type | Use it when | Data shape |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [005 · Floating range bars](https://usechartory.com/charts/floating-range-bars) | A window per item, from start to end | A start, an end and a median per item, plus the SLA |
| [006 · Histogram](https://usechartory.com/charts/histogram) | How values spread across ranges | Already-binned counts, P50 and P95 marks |
| [016 · Vertical profile](https://usechartory.com/charts/vertical-profile) | A value read down a scale, like a depth profile | A value per level, one or two series |
| [033 · Dot strip](https://usechartory.com/charts/dot-strip) | The usual range per item, on one scale | Every value per item |
| [043 · Box plot](https://usechartory.com/charts/box-plot) | The spread of each group in five numbers | Five numbers per group and its outliers |
| [050 · Dot plot with intervals](https://usechartory.com/charts/dot-plot-with-intervals) | Estimates with how sure they are | An estimate and an interval per item |
| [053 · Order book depth](https://usechartory.com/charts/order-book-depth) | Buy and sell orders stacked away from the price | Bids and asks with price and cumulative size |
| [055 · Ridgeline](https://usechartory.com/charts/ridgeline) | The shape of each group's spread, stacked | A shape per group: centre, spread and weight |
| [060 · Gains curve](https://usechartory.com/charts/gains-curve) | How much a model finds in its top picks | A steepness for the curve and one marked point |
| [062 · Rate dot plot](https://usechartory.com/charts/rate-dot-plot) | Each member's view, year by year | One estimate per member per period |
| [063 · Likert](https://usechartory.com/charts/likert) | Agree and disagree, statement by statement | Five shares per statement, from strongly disagree to strongly agree |
| [071 · Volume profile](https://usechartory.com/charts/volume-profile) | Where the trading happened, by price | Price over time and volume per price level |
| [077 · Lorenz curve](https://usechartory.com/charts/lorenz-curve) | How evenly something is shared | The curve's shape and one marked point |
| [082 · Age pyramid](https://usechartory.com/charts/age-pyramid) | Two groups by age, back to back | A share per age band for two groups |
| [093 · Star ratings](https://usechartory.com/charts/star-ratings) | The average and how the stars split | A count per star level |
| [106 · Latency field](https://usechartory.com/charts/latency-field) | Every run as a dot, over time | Time, duration and status per run |
| [130 · Retention cut](https://usechartory.com/charts/retention-cut) | What a retention window keeps and frees | Size by age, a retention window |

## Common mistakes

- **Only the average** An average hides a long tail. Show the median and P95, or the full shape.
- **Groups on different scales** Spreads compare only on one shared axis.
- **Bins that hide the shape** Too few bins flatten the peak; too many turn into noise.

## Every distribution chart, and the other 115 types.

In Figma and React, in four sizes, light and dark. Pay once, every update. [See the seventeen in Charts](https://usechartory.com/charts#distribution)

## Questions

### Histogram or box plot?

A histogram for one group's shape, a box plot to compare several groups.

### What do P50 and P95 mean?

Half the values sit below P50, and 95 in 100 below P95.

### When is a ridgeline better than a box plot?

When the shape matters, such as two peaks a box would hide.

### Do these charts come in every size?

Yes. All of them come in XS, S, M and L, each laid out again for its size, in light and dark.

## Other questions

- [Change over time](https://usechartory.com/questions/change-over-time)
- [Compare items](https://usechartory.com/questions/compare-items)
- [Part of a whole](https://usechartory.com/questions/part-of-a-whole)
- [Flow between steps](https://usechartory.com/questions/flow-between-steps)
- [Relationship](https://usechartory.com/questions/relationship)
- [Schedule and status](https://usechartory.com/questions/schedule-and-status)
- [Space and place](https://usechartory.com/questions/space-and-place)

Not sure it is a distribution? Start from what the chart has to show. [Open the Chart Chooser](https://usechartory.com/chooser)