Stem and Leaf Plot Maker
Paste a list of numbers and get a classic stem-and-leaf plot (stemplot) instantly — with a readable key, sorted leaves, and mean, median, min and max. Download as PNG or SVG. Free, no signup, and your data never leaves your browser.
Try an example data set
Renders locally in your browser — your data is never uploaded.
Statistics of your data
Count (n)
40
Mean (x̄)
73.35
Median
73.5
Minimum
48
Maximum
95
Need full step-by-step statistics or a different chart? Mean, Median, Mode Calculator · Histogram Maker
Stem-and-leaf table
Key: 4 | 8 = 48 · leaf unit = 1
| Stem | Leaves | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 5 | 5 8 9 | 3 |
| 6 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 | 10 |
| 7 | 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 | 15 |
| 8 | 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 | 8 |
| 9 | 0 2 5 | 3 |
- 01Make a stem and leaf plot online in seconds — paste data, the stemplot updates live.
- 02Choose the leaf unit (1, 0.1, or 10) to match integers, decimals, or large values.
- 03Every plot includes a key so anyone can read the stems and leaves correctly.
- 04See count, mean, median, minimum, and maximum alongside the figure.
- 05Download as PNG or SVG, or share a link that rebuilds your plot — free, no signup.
Why Use This Stem and Leaf Plot Maker
Instant Live Stemplot
The stem-and-leaf plot redraws as you type — no upload step, no waiting. Paste values from Excel, Google Sheets, or a homework list and the classic stem | leaf layout appears immediately.
School-Standard Layout
Stems run down the left, leaves are sorted left to right on each row, empty stems stay in the plot so gaps are visible, and a key shows how to reconstruct each value — the same format textbooks and exams use.
Flexible Leaf Unit
Use leaf unit 1 for whole-number scores (stem = tens, leaf = ones), 0.1 for one-decimal data, or 10 when values are large. Matching the leaf unit to your data keeps every digit meaningful.
Statistics Included
Every plot comes with count, mean, median, minimum, and maximum — so you can describe center and spread without switching tools. Link out for full mean–median–mode steps when you need them.
Export and Share
Download a crisp 2× PNG for homework and slides, or a scalable SVG for editing. Copy the image to your clipboard, or share a link that rebuilds the exact stemplot — data and settings travel in the URL fragment only.
Free and Private
Everything runs in your browser — your data is never uploaded to a server. No signup, no limits, no paywall. Just make a stem and leaf plot and go.
What Is a Stem and Leaf Plot?
A stem and leaf plot (also called a stemplot) is a way to display numerical data that keeps every original value while showing the shape of the distribution. Each number is split into a stem (usually the leading digits) and a leaf (usually the final digit). Stems form a column; leaves from the same stem are written in a row beside it, sorted from smallest to largest. The result looks a bit like a histogram on its side — but you can still read every data point.
Whether you are checking homework, exploring lab measurements, or teaching distribution shape, a stem-and-leaf plot is often the clearest small-data display — and this free stemplot generator gives you the figure, the key, and the statistics in one place.
- How to Read a Stemplot
- Find the stem on the left and the leaf on the right, then put them together using the key. If the key says 5 | 2 = 52 and leaf unit is 1, a leaf of 2 on stem 5 means 52. Always read the key first — it tells you the place value of each leaf.
- Stem and Leaf vs Histogram
- Both show distribution shape, clusters, gaps, and outliers. A histogram groups values into bins and loses the individual numbers; a stem-and-leaf plot keeps every value visible, which makes it ideal for small-to-medium school data sets (often under about 50–100 points).
- Leaf Unit and Place Value
- The leaf unit is the place value of one leaf digit. Unit 1 is classic for test scores in the tens and ones. Unit 0.1 is natural when data has one decimal place. Unit 10 is useful for larger measurements where the ones digit is less important.
- Split Stems (Optional Technique)
- Some textbooks “split” stems — for example two rows for stem 5, one for leaves 0–4 and one for 5–9 — when a single stem is overcrowded. This maker uses one row per stem (the standard default). If a stem is dense, try a different leaf unit or switch to a histogram for a cleaner picture.
How to Make a Stem and Leaf Plot Online
- 01
Paste your data
Type or paste your numbers into the data box, separated by commas, spaces, or new lines. A column copied from Excel or Google Sheets works — decimals and negative values are supported.
- 02
Choose the leaf unit
Pick 1 for classic integer stemplots (stem = tens, leaf = ones), 0.1 for tenths, or 10 for larger values. The plot and key update immediately so you can confirm the place values look right.
- 03
Title and accent color
Add a chart title so the figure is self-explanatory on a worksheet or slide. Optionally pick an accent color for the header rule.
- 04
Download and interpret
Export the finished stem-and-leaf plot as PNG or SVG. Use the statistics strip and the open stem-and-leaf table below the chart to describe center, spread, clusters, and gaps.
Tips for Better Stem-and-Leaf Plots
Always Include a Key
Without a key, readers cannot tell whether 5 | 2 means 52, 5.2, or 520. This tool always prints a key under the figure — keep it when you paste the export into a report.
Match Leaf Unit to the Data
If every value has one decimal place, leaf unit 0.1 usually produces a clearer stemplot than unit 1. If stems only show one or two leaves each, try a coarser unit; if one stem is packed, try a finer unit or a histogram.
Sort Leaves on Each Stem
Leaves should increase from left to right on every row. Sorted leaves make it easy to find the median, spot modes (repeated leaves), and compare density across stems.
Prefer Stemplots for Smaller Sets
Stem-and-leaf plots shine with roughly 15–80 values. With hundreds of points the figure gets crowded — switch to a histogram or box plot when individual leaves stop being readable.
Keep Empty Stems
Leaving empty stems in the plot shows real gaps in the distribution. Removing them can hide holes and make the data look more continuous than it is.
Cross-Check Mean and Median
If the mean is clearly larger than the median, expect a right-skewed shape (longer upper stems); if smaller, left-skewed. Use the statistics cards under the plot to confirm what you see.
Stem-and-Leaf Concepts
Definition of a stem and leaf plot
A stem and leaf plot (stemplot) displays quantitative data by splitting each observation into a stem (leading digits) and a leaf (trailing digit at a chosen unit). Stems form an ordered column; leaves from the same stem are written in sorted order beside that stem.
What a stemplot tells you
- Shape: roughly symmetric, skewed right, skewed left, or multimodal.
- Center: the middle of the ordered leaves (compare with the median and mean).
- Spread: how many stems the data spans (compare with min and max).
- Gaps and outliers: empty stems and isolated leaves far from the bulk.
Finding the median from a stemplot
Because leaves are sorted within stems and stems are ordered, you can walk through the plot in order to locate the middle value(s). For n observations, the median is the middle value when n is odd, or the average of the two middle values when n is even — the same rule as any ordered list.
Key Rules
Stem and leaf (leaf unit = 1)
stem = trunc(value ÷ 10), leaf = |trunc(value)| mod 10
74 → stem 7, leaf 4; −23 → stem −2, leaf 3.
General leaf unit u
stem = trunc((value ÷ u) ÷ 10), leaf = |trunc(value ÷ u)| mod 10
With u = 0.1, 3.14 → stem 3, leaf 1 (key shows 3 | 1 = 3.1).
Reconstruct a value
value ≈ (stem × 10 + leaf) × u (for stem ≥ 0)
stem 8, leaf 5, u = 1 → 85.
Median position
Position (n + 1) ÷ 2 in the ordered list
n = 40 → average of the 20th and 21st ordered values.
Stem and Leaf Plot Maker FAQ
Q01How do I make a stem and leaf plot from my data?
Paste your numbers into the data box — separated by commas, spaces, or new lines — and the stemplot is drawn instantly. Choose a leaf unit if needed, add a title, then download the figure as PNG or SVG.
Q02How do I read a stem and leaf plot?
Read the key first. The stem is the leading part of each number and the leaf is the final digit (at the chosen leaf unit). For example, with key 7 | 3 = 73 and leaf unit 1, stem 7 with leaves 1 3 5 means the values 71, 73, and 75.
Q03What is the leaf unit?
The leaf unit is the place value of one leaf digit. Unit 1 means leaves are ones (and stems are tens for two-digit data). Unit 0.1 means each leaf is a tenth. Unit 10 means each leaf stands for ten. Pick the unit that matches how your textbook or assignment wants values reconstructed.
Q04What is the difference between a stem and leaf plot and a histogram?
Both show the shape of a distribution. A histogram groups values into bins and shows only counts (or percentages); individual numbers are lost. A stem-and-leaf plot keeps every original value visible while still revealing clusters, gaps, and outliers — which is why it is popular in school statistics for modest data sets.
Q05Can I use decimals or negative numbers?
Yes. Decimals work well with leaf unit 0.1. Negative values are supported with negative stems (a common school convention): for example −23 with unit 1 becomes stem −2 and leaf 3.
Q06What are split stems?
Split stems divide each stem into two (or more) rows — often leaves 0–4 on one row and 5–9 on another — when a single stem is too crowded. This maker uses one row per stem by default. If a stem is dense, change the leaf unit or use a histogram for a cleaner display.
Q07How do I download or share the stemplot?
Click PNG for a high-resolution raster image (rendered at 2× for crisp slides and homework) or SVG for a scalable vector file you can edit in Figma, Illustrator, or Inkscape. Exported files include a small kanaries.net credit in the corner — that watermark is only added on export, not on the live page. You can also copy the PNG to your clipboard or click Share link to copy a URL that rebuilds your exact plot; the data travels in the link fragment and is never uploaded to a server.
Q08Is this stem and leaf plot maker free and is my data private?
Yes on both counts. The tool is completely free with no signup and no limits, and it runs entirely in your browser — your data is never uploaded to any server, so it is safe to use with homework or private numbers.