Percentage Change Calculator
See how much a value rose or fell in absolute and percentage terms — useful for prices, salaries, scores and statistics.
Result
Enter your values and select Calculate to see the result.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the original (starting) value.
- Enter the new value.
- The result shows the size of the change, whether it is an increase or decrease, and the signed percentage.
Formula
percentage change = (new − original) ÷ |original| × 100
The absolute difference is simply new − original. A positive result is an increase and a negative result is a decrease. Dividing by the absolute value of the original keeps the direction correct when the original is negative.
Worked example
A price rises from 80 to 92
Difference: 92 − 80 = 12.
Percentage change: 12 ÷ 80 × 100 = 15% increase.
A price falls from 250 to 200
Difference: 200 − 250 = −50.
Percentage change: −50 ÷ 250 × 100 = 20% decrease.
Assumptions and limitations
- If the original value is zero, a percentage change is mathematically undefined. The calculator says so and shows only the absolute difference.
- Percentage change is not symmetric: going from 100 to 50 is a 50% decrease, but going from 50 back to 100 is a 100% increase.
- “Percentage points” are different: a rate moving from 4% to 5% is a 1 percentage-point rise but a 25% increase.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I get a percentage change from zero?
The formula divides by the original value. Dividing by zero has no defined answer, so any change from zero cannot be expressed as a percentage.
What is the difference between percentage change and percentage difference?
Percentage change measures movement from an original to a new value. Percentage difference compares two values without a direction, usually dividing by their average.