Display frequency instead of count with geom_bar() in ggplot

Question

On this page, they give the following example

library(ggplot2)
library(reshape2)
ggplot(data=tips, aes(x=day)) + geom_bar(stat="bin")

Instead of a count I'd like to have a frequency in y-axis. How can I achieve this?

score 57 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

57

Here's the solution which can be found in related question:

pp <- ggplot(data=tips, aes(x=day)) + 
      geom_bar(aes(y = (..count..)/sum(..count..)))

If you would like to label frequencies as percentage, add this (see here):

library(scales)
pp + scale_y_continuous(labels = percent)

edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

Community

answered Nov 08 '13 at 07:30

tonytonov

5

What is the meaning of the dot-dot notation in `..count..`? Do you have any reference to that? – mcrisc Jul 04 '14 at 15:39
1

@mcrisc Take a look at [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14570293/special-variables-in-ggplot-count-density-etc). – tonytonov Jul 04 '14 at 20:58
How would you obtain data labels for the frequencies, to be shown above each bar? – user2716568 Sep 13 '16 at 02:51
4

I really wish `geom_bar` generated the `..density..` variable like its cousin function `geom_histogram` does. – aaiezza Dec 13 '16 at 16:26
1

I think think `labels=percent` in `scale_y_continuous(labels = percent)` doesnt work anymore – dieHellste Nov 05 '18 at 13:42
@dieHellste Running on `ggplot2_3.1.0`, `scales_1.0.0` is still fine (R 3.5.1, Win 10). – tonytonov Nov 13 '18 at 09:39

score 22 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 19 '18 at 20:49

22

now ..prop.. is available

ggplot(data=tips, aes(x=day)) + 
  geom_bar(aes(y = ..prop.., group = 1))

answered Mar 19 '18 at 20:49

Dambo

1

This works if you are using facets, while the `..count..` option does not! – r_alanb Jul 19 '18 at 17:51
@r_alanb do you mean adding e.g. `facet_wrap(~sex)`? It works with both for me. – Dambo Jul 23 '18 at 10:31
1

I should have defined "works". It will create a figure if you use `..count../sum(..count..)`, but the frequency will sum to 1 over all of the facets (I think). If you use `..prop..`, the frequency will sum to 1 in each facet. Maybe it depends on what you're trying to show. – r_alanb Jul 25 '18 at 00:06
@r_alanb `..count../sum(..count..)` and `..prop` work exactly the same for me as long as you set `group = 1` – Dambo Jul 25 '18 at 09:17
`ggplot(data=tips, aes(x=day)) + geom_bar(aes(y = ..prop.., group = 1)) + facet_wrap(~sex)` and `ggplot(data=tips, aes(x=day)) + geom_bar(aes(y = (..count..)/sum(..count..), group = 1)) + facet_wrap(~sex)` do not yield the same plot for me. You can also remove `group=1` in the `..count..` version and it looks the same. – r_alanb Jul 26 '18 at 02:34

2 Answers2