The best examples of examples of data visualization in infographics

Real-world examples of data visualization in infographics

Let’s start with what you actually came for: real examples of data visualization in infographics that are doing serious heavy lifting for brands, nonprofits, and newsrooms.

Think of an infographic as a tiny stage. Data is the cast; charts are the costumes. The best examples of examples of data visualization in infographics don’t throw every costume on at once. They pick one or two strong visual metaphors and commit.

Here are several types of data visuals you’ll see over and over in high-performing infographics, plus real examples and how to use them without boring your audience to sleep.

1. Health risk icon arrays: one of the clearest examples of data visualization in infographics

Health organizations love a good icon array — those grids of tiny people or shapes where some are colored differently to show risk. They’re one of the most persuasive examples of data visualization in infographics, because they translate abstract risk into something your brain can count.

A classic example: explaining that “2 out of 100 people” might experience a side effect. Instead of a tiny bar chart, an infographic might show 100 human icons with 2 highlighted. Research from organizations like the National Institutes of Health and CDC has repeatedly shown that visual risk formats help people understand probabilities better than text alone.

Where this shines in infographics:

• Vaccine safety explainers showing side-effect rates
• Public health infographics comparing smoking vs. non-smoking risks
• Hospital discharge handouts that need to be understood quickly

If you’re looking for an example of simple but powerful data visualization in an infographic, icon arrays are top-tier. They’re easy to understand across languages and education levels, and they scale beautifully from a poster to a social media slide.

2. Before-and-after bar charts for policy and funding stories

When you want to show change — funding going up, emissions going down, test scores improving — bar charts are still one of the best examples of data visualization in infographics. The trick is in how you style and sequence them.

A strong example: a city budget infographic that compares “Before 2020” vs. “After 2020” spending on public health. One bar for each year, a bold color shift, and a short caption: “Public health funding increased 38% after the pandemic.”

You’ll see this pattern in:

• Education infographics showing graduation rates over 10 years (often referencing data from sources like NCES at ed.gov)
• Climate infographics illustrating rising average temperatures year by year
• Economic infographics comparing unemployment rates across recessions

These examples of data visualization in infographics work because the visual comparison is immediate. No one needs to read a legend to see which bar is taller.

Pro tip: In 2024–2025, designers are leaning into minimalist bar charts with fewer gridlines, more white space, and short, conversational labels instead of dense axis labels. Think: “Then” and “Now,” not “2010” and “2024.”

3. Timelines and step flows for process-heavy topics

Some stories are less about “how much” and more about “what happens when.” Timelines and process flows are underrated examples of data visualization in infographics, especially for:

• Disease progression (e.g., stages of diabetes or heart disease)
• Policy rollouts and election timelines
• Product launches or customer journeys

Picture a vertical timeline infographic explaining the path of a clinical trial:

• Phase 1: 20–100 participants
• Phase 2: several hundred
• Phase 3: several thousand

Each step gets a block with a bold number, a short description, and maybe a subtle icon. It’s data visualization — you’re showing scale and sequence — but in a way that feels more like a storyboard than a spreadsheet.

Health sites like Mayo Clinic often use process visuals to explain treatment paths, recovery timelines, or symptom escalation. These are great real examples of data visualization in infographics that make complex journeys less intimidating.

4. Heatmaps and choropleths for geographic stories

Anytime your data has a “where,” maps are some of the best examples of data visualization in infographics. Two formats show up constantly:

• Choropleth maps: regions colored by value (e.g., darker states = higher rates)
• Heatmaps: intensity of color or density indicating activity

You’ll see these in:

• Public health infographics showing disease rates by state or county, often using data from the CDC
• Election infographics mapping turnout or vote share
• Climate infographics mapping drought severity or wildfire risk

Example of a strong infographic use: a U.S. map shaded by percentage of adults with obesity, with a short legend and one pullout stat like “19 states now exceed 35%.” The map, plus one bold stat, is far more memorable than a table.

For mobile-first infographics in 2024–2025, designers often simplify these maps — fewer colors, thicker borders, and short labels — so they still work on a 6-inch screen.

5. Small multiples: the best examples when you need to compare a lot at once

Small multiples (a grid of similar mini-charts) are the quiet overachievers of infographic design. They’re some of the best examples of examples of data visualization in infographics because they let you compare many categories without overwhelming people.

Imagine a grid of 12 tiny line charts, each showing temperature change for a different country from 1900 to 2024. Each chart uses the same scale and style. Individually, they’re simple. Together, they scream: “Everyone is warming, but some much faster.”

You’ll see small multiples used in:

• Climate change explainers (e.g., multiple regions or cities compared)
• Demographic infographics comparing age, income, or education across groups
• Sports infographics showing player stats across seasons or teams

These real examples of data visualization in infographics work because your brain is great at spotting patterns when the visuals are consistent. Instead of one busy mega-chart, you get a gallery of mini-stories.

6. Radial charts and “donut” visuals for proportions

Pie charts get a lot of hate, but radial visuals still show up as some of the most shared examples of data visualization in infographics — especially when the goal is to show parts of a whole in a visually dramatic way.

Common patterns:

• Donut charts instead of full pies, leaving room in the center for a big number
• Radial progress rings showing progress to a goal (e.g., “78% of target funding raised”)
• Segmented circles where each slice is clearly labeled and color-coded

Example of a clean infographic use: a mental health nonprofit showing how donations are spent — 40% counseling services, 35% community outreach, 15% research, 10% admin — with each slice labeled directly and a short note on impact.

Used sparingly and clearly, these are solid examples of data visualization in infographics that need to feel approachable and human, not like a corporate dashboard.

7. Sankey-style flows for “where does it all go?” questions

If you’ve ever seen those thick, flowing ribbons showing how energy, money, or people move from one category to another, you’ve met a Sankey diagram. When simplified, they’re some of the most eye-catching examples of data visualization in infographics.

They’re perfect for:

• Showing how a budget is allocated across departments
• Tracing where students go after high school (college, work, military, gap year)
• Explaining how energy flows from sources to uses

A strong infographic example: a university infographic that takes incoming tuition dollars on the left and shows how they split into teaching, facilities, financial aid, and research on the right. The ribbon widths show proportions, and the colors carry through.

Because Sankey diagrams can get complicated fast, the best examples in infographics use fewer categories, short labels, and clear color coding. Think three to five main flows, not fifteen.

8. Story-first “scrollytelling” infographics with mixed visuals

In 2024–2025, some of the best examples of data visualization in infographics aren’t static posters at all — they’re vertical, scroll-friendly stories mixing several chart types.

A typical scrollytelling-style infographic might:

• Open with a bold stat in giant type
• Move into a simple bar chart for context
• Add a map to show geographic spread
• Close with a small multiple or icon array to personalize the data

Newsrooms and nonprofits often build these as web pieces, but the same logic works for a long-form PDF or social media carousel. The magic is in the pacing: each visual gets its own “moment,” and the copy ties them together.

Some of the best real examples of data visualization in infographics now:

• Climate timelines that combine line charts, maps, and photos
• Public health campaigns showing risk, behavior change, and impact
• Education reports that move from national stats to local breakdowns to student stories

You’re not limited to one chart type per infographic. The strongest examples of examples of data visualization in infographics use a small toolkit of visuals, repeated and connected by color and typography.

How to choose the right example of data visualization for your infographic

Looking at all these examples of data visualization in infographics, it’s easy to panic and throw everything in. Don’t. The best examples are surprisingly restrained.

Ask three questions before you pick a chart:

1. Is this about change, comparison, part-to-whole, distribution, or location?

   • Change over time → line chart, bar chart, or timeline
   • Comparing groups → bar chart or small multiples
   • Part-to-whole → donut, stacked bar, or icon array
   • Distribution or risk → histogram, dot plot, or icon array
   • Location → map or choropleth

2. What’s the one sentence I want people to remember?
   If your key line is “Teen vaping doubled in five years,” your chart should make that line obvious at a glance.

3. Will this be read on a phone, a laptop, or a wall?
   The same data might need a different visual depending on screen size and distance.

When you study the best examples of data visualization in infographics from trusted sources — think CDC, NIH, major universities — you’ll notice they rarely get fancy for the sake of it. They pick the simplest visual that tells the story.

2024–2025 trends shaping the best examples of data visualization in infographics

If you’re creating new infographics now, here’s what’s showing up again and again in the strongest real examples:

• Mobile-first layouts: Vertical designs, bigger text, fewer tiny labels
• Dark mode–friendly palettes: High contrast, saturated accent colors, less pastel haze
• Plain-language labels: “People with diabetes” instead of “Diabetic population (per 100k)”
• Accessibility baked in: Colorblind-safe palettes, alt text, and high-contrast text
• Source transparency: Clear citations and links to original data, often pointing to .gov or .edu datasets

For instance, public-facing data visuals from agencies like the CDC and universities such as Harvard increasingly emphasize clarity, accessibility, and storytelling over decorative complexity. Those are great examples of data visualization in infographics to study when you’re planning your own.

FAQ: examples of data visualization in infographics

Q1. What are some simple examples of data visualization in infographics for beginners?
Simple, beginner-friendly examples include icon arrays (rows of people or objects), basic bar charts, donut charts with one or two slices highlighted, and short timelines. These are easy to build in tools like PowerPoint or Canva and still qualify as strong examples of data visualization in infographics when paired with clear, plain-language captions.

Q2. What is one good example of data visualization for health infographics?
A very effective example of data visualization in a health infographic is a risk icon array showing, for example, “5 out of 100 people may experience side effects.” By coloring five icons differently in a grid of 100, you turn a dry percentage into a visual people can instantly grasp. Health organizations and sites like Mayo Clinic often use this style in patient education materials.

Q3. What are the best examples of data visualization for social media infographics?
For social media, the best examples are bold, minimal visuals that still read at small sizes: single-stat panels, one clean bar chart per slide, donut charts with big center numbers, and mini-maps with just a few highlighted regions. Carousel posts often chain several of these together to tell a short story.

Q4. Where can I find real examples of data visualization in infographics to study?
Look at public-facing reports and explainers from organizations like the CDC, NIH, and major universities such as Harvard. Many of their reports include infographic-style pages with charts, icons, and short copy. You can also study annual reports from nonprofits, which often showcase some of the best real examples of data visualization in infographics for donations, outcomes, and impact.

Q5. How many different chart types should I use in one infographic?
Most of the best examples of examples of data visualization in infographics stick to one to three chart types. For instance, a bar chart plus an icon array and a small timeline. Too many different styles can feel chaotic. Repeating a small set of visuals, with consistent colors and typography, makes your infographic feel organized and easier to remember.