How to calculate percentage change

Subtract the original value from the new value. Divide the difference by the original value, then multiply by 100.

Example:
Original value = 80
New value = 100

100 − 80 = 20
20 ÷ 80 × 100 = 25%

Answer = 25% increase

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When would you use percentage change?

Percentage change is useful when you want to measure how much a value has increased or decreased compared with its original value. It can be used to track changes in prices, sales, costs, populations, investments, website traffic and many other figures.

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For example, if monthly sales rise from 8,000 to 10,000, the percentage change is a 25% increase. If sales fall from 10,000 to 8,000, the percentage change is a 20% decrease.

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Important: Percentage change is measured against the original value, so reversing the two numbers can produce a different percentage.

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For calculations specifically involving a rise or fall in value, you can also use our Percentage Increase Calculator or Percentage Decrease Calculator.