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Percentage Change Calculator
Calculate percentage increase or decrease between two values. Perfect for tracking stock prices, growth rates, inflation, and investment returns.
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Pick a scenario to see how the calculator works, then adjust the values
Percentage Change Calculator | Calculate Increase & Decrease Rates
Calculate percentage increase or decrease between two values. Perfect for tracking stock prices, growth rates, inflation, and investment returns.
Key values: from $45 · to $67 · +48.9%
Inflation: CPI Rise from 280 to 310
The consumer price index rose from 280 to 310. What is the inflation rate?
Key values: CPI 280 → 310 · +10.7% inflation
Percentage Change Formula
- Positive result = percentage increase
- Negative result = percentage decrease
The Asymmetry of Percentage Changes
A common trap: percentage increases and decreases are not symmetric.
A stock rises 50% from $100 to $150, then falls 50% — not back to $100, but to $75. The 50% decrease is applied to the new (higher) base. To recover from a 50% loss, you need a 100% gain.
In general, to recover from a loss, you need a gain:
| Loss | Gain needed to recover |
|---|---|
| 10% | 11.1% |
| 25% | 33.3% |
| 50% | 100% |
| 75% | 300% |
| 90% | 900% |
Common Applications
- Financial returns: Stock price changes, portfolio growth
- Economic indicators: GDP growth, inflation rate, unemployment change
- Business metrics: Revenue growth, customer churn, conversion rate changes
- Science: Experimental error, measurement uncertainty
Worked Example
A company's revenue went from $2.4M to $3.1M. What is the percentage change?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate percentage change?
Use the formula: . A positive result means an increase; a negative result means a decrease.
Why is a 50% loss not recovered by a 50% gain?
Because percentage changes are relative to different bases. A 50% drop from $100 gives $50. A 50% gain on $50 gives only $75, not $100. You need a 100% gain to recover from a 50% loss.
Does it matter which value I use as the old value?
Yes. Always use the original (earlier) value as the denominator. Swapping old and new values gives a different percentage because the base changes. Going from 80 to 100 is a 25% increase, but 100 to 80 is a 20% decrease.
How do I calculate percentage change between negative numbers?
The same formula applies, but interpretation can be tricky. If a company's profit goes from -\\$50 to -\\$20, the change is improvement. Use the absolute value of the old number as the denominator.
What is the difference between percentage change and percentage point change?
Percentage change is relative (e.g., a rate going from 5% to 6% is a 20% increase). Percentage point change is absolute (the same move is a 1 percentage point increase). The two metrics answer different questions.
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