Percentage change puts differences on a common scale, so a rise from 80 to 92 can be compared with a rise from 8,000 to 9,200: both are 15%.
How to use it
Enter the original and the new value. To find the new value after a set change, type the percentage into the result.
Common pitfalls
- A 50% fall followed by a 50% rise does not return to the start; it ends 25% lower.
- A change from 4% to 5% is 1 percentage point, but a 25% relative increase.
- Percentage change from zero is undefined.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Original value | A number |
| New value | A number |
What each result means
- Percentage change = ([New value] – [Original value]) ÷ abs([Original value]) × 100
- Absolute difference = [New value] – [Original value]
- New ÷ original = [New value] ÷ [Original value]
Example values
How the main result changes when New value changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| New value | Percentage change (%) |
|---|---|
| 46 | -42.5 |
| 69 | -13.75 |
| 92 | 15 |
| 115 | 43.75 |
| 138 | 72.5 |
| 184 | 130 |
Formula
% change = (new − original) ÷ |original| × 100Worked example
Price goes from 80 to 92.
Change = (92 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = 15% increase.
Key terms
- Relative change
- Difference divided by the starting value.
- Absolute change
- The plain difference between two values.
- Percentage point
- Unit for the difference between two percentages.
Frequently asked questions
Is percentage change the same as percentage difference?
No. Percentage difference compares two values using their average as the base.
Why use the absolute value of the original?
So that changes from negative starting values keep the correct sign.
How do I reverse a percentage change?
Divide the new value by (1 + change/100).
What formula does the Percentage Change Calculator use?
% change = (new − original) ÷ |original| × 100.
Can I work backwards from the result?
Yes. Type the result you want into Percentage change and the calculator finds the matching new value.