matplotlib add labels to bar chart code example

Example 1: bar labeling in matplotlib

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
%matplotlib inline
plt.style.use('ggplot')

x = ['Nuclear', 'Hydro', 'Gas', 'Oil', 'Coal', 'Biofuel']
energy = [5, 6, 15, 22, 24, 8]

x_pos = [i for i, _ in enumerate(x)]

plt.bar(x_pos, energy, color='green')
plt.xlabel("Energy Source")
plt.ylabel("Energy Output (GJ)")
plt.title("Energy output from various fuel sources")

plt.xticks(x_pos, x)

plt.show()

Example 2: adding labels to histogram bars in matplotlib

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Bring some raw data.
frequencies = [6, -16, 75, 160, 244, 260, 145, 73, 16, 4, 1]

# In my original code I create a series and run on that,
# so for consistency I create a series from the list.
freq_series = pd.Series.from_array(frequencies)

x_labels = [108300.0, 110540.0, 112780.0, 115020.0, 117260.0, 119500.0,
            121740.0, 123980.0, 126220.0, 128460.0, 130700.0]

# Plot the figure.
plt.figure(figsize=(12, 8))
ax = freq_series.plot(kind='bar')
ax.set_title('Amount Frequency')
ax.set_xlabel('Amount ($)')
ax.set_ylabel('Frequency')
ax.set_xticklabels(x_labels)


def add_value_labels(ax, spacing=5):
    """Add labels to the end of each bar in a bar chart.

    Arguments:
        ax (matplotlib.axes.Axes): The matplotlib object containing the axes
            of the plot to annotate.
        spacing (int): The distance between the labels and the bars.
    """

    # For each bar: Place a label
    for rect in ax.patches:
        # Get X and Y placement of label from rect.
        y_value = rect.get_height()
        x_value = rect.get_x() + rect.get_width() / 2

        # Number of points between bar and label. Change to your liking.
        space = spacing
        # Vertical alignment for positive values
        va = 'bottom'

        # If value of bar is negative: Place label below bar
        if y_value < 0:
            # Invert space to place label below
            space *= -1
            # Vertically align label at top
            va = 'top'

        # Use Y value as label and format number with one decimal place
        label = "{:.1f}".format(y_value)

        # Create annotation
        ax.annotate(
            label,                      # Use `label` as label
            (x_value, y_value),         # Place label at end of the bar
            xytext=(0, space),          # Vertically shift label by `space`
            textcoords="offset points", # Interpret `xytext` as offset in points
            ha='center',                # Horizontally center label
            va=va)                      # Vertically align label differently for
                                        # positive and negative values.


# Call the function above. All the magic happens there.
add_value_labels(ax)

plt.savefig("image.png")

Example 3: adding labels to histogram bars in matplotlib

# Bring some raw data.
frequencies = [6, -16, 75, 160, 244, 260, 145, 73, 16, 4, 1]

freq_series = pd.Series(frequencies)

y_labels = [108300.0, 110540.0, 112780.0, 115020.0, 117260.0, 119500.0, 
            121740.0, 123980.0, 126220.0, 128460.0, 130700.0]

# Plot the figure.
plt.figure(figsize=(12, 8))
ax = freq_series.plot(kind='barh')
ax.set_title('Amount Frequency')
ax.set_xlabel('Frequency')
ax.set_ylabel('Amount ($)')
ax.set_yticklabels(y_labels)
ax.set_xlim(-40, 300) # expand xlim to make labels easier to read

rects = ax.patches

# For each bar: Place a label
for rect in rects:
    # Get X and Y placement of label from rect.
    x_value = rect.get_width()
    y_value = rect.get_y() + rect.get_height() / 2

    # Number of points between bar and label. Change to your liking.
    space = 5
    # Vertical alignment for positive values
    ha = 'left'

    # If value of bar is negative: Place label left of bar
    if x_value < 0:
        # Invert space to place label to the left
        space *= -1
        # Horizontally align label at right
        ha = 'right'

    # Use X value as label and format number with one decimal place
    label = "{:.1f}".format(x_value)

    # Create annotation
    plt.annotate(
        label,                      # Use `label` as label
        (x_value, y_value),         # Place label at end of the bar
        xytext=(space, 0),          # Horizontally shift label by `space`
        textcoords="offset points", # Interpret `xytext` as offset in points
        va='center',                # Vertically center label
        ha=ha)                      # Horizontally align label differently for
                                    # positive and negative values.

plt.savefig("image.png")