Lollipop Charts

by Nicole Cardillo

Lollipop charts are a fantastic way to visualize data. They are simple and easy for anyone to comprehend. This is essentially another method of creating a bar graph, one of the very first graphs we have ever learned about. It is most useful when comparing values between different points in a data set. The purpose of a lollipop chart is to appear more simple than graphs like a bar chart. The CDC explains, "Lollipop charts are best used to achieve an uncluttered minimalist look. Removing the Axis and Ticks help that effect" (cdc.gov). They give us a clear understanding of the difference in values between items that you are comparing. The chart below depicts a survey taken of people's favorite Halloween candies.

In this lollipop chart, it is clear that Kit-Kat is the most popular candy while Almond Joy is the least favored. The format of the lollipop chart gives us a clear understanding of which candies people favor the most. We can vividly see the variation in each value, informing the audience how popular each candy is in comparison with the rest. Overall, lollipop charts are best used for comparing percentages like students' test results, sales of a product, population of a city, etc. The organized order of the percentages, going from higher to lower value give a transparent visual of "most" to "least".

Ultimately, a lollipop graph is a new and refreshing way to display data. Bar charts and line graphs are common and sometimes overused when it comes to data visualizations. Lollipop charts provide audiences with a brand new visual that catches their attention and displays data just as effectively as traditional graphs. 

References

CDC. “Lollipop Bar Chart.” CDC Open-Source Visualization Editor (COVE), 25 Sept. 2024, www.cdc.gov/cove/data-visualization-types/lollipop-bar-chart.html. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.

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