Percentage increase measures how much a number has grown compared with its original value. It is commonly used for prices, salaries, website traffic, sales, revenue, and investments.
Percentage Increase Formula
The formula is:
Percentage Increase = ((New Value − Original Value) ÷ Original Value) × 100
Suppose the price of a product increases from $80 to $100.
First, calculate the difference:
100 − 80 = 20
Then divide by the original value:
20 ÷ 80 = 0.25
Finally:
0.25 × 100 = 25%
The price increased by 25%.
Another Percentage Increase Example
Suppose a website received 10,000 visitors last month and 12,500 visitors this month.
The increase is:
12,500 − 10,000 = 2,500
Then:
(2,500 ÷ 10,000) × 100 = 25%
Website traffic therefore increased by 25%.
If you regularly compare numbers, the Percentage Calculator can help you quickly calculate percentage values.
Why Percentage Increase Matters
Percentage increase provides context that the raw difference between two numbers cannot.
An increase of 1,000 visitors might be enormous for a website receiving 2,000 monthly visitors but relatively small for a website receiving one million visitors. Percentage change makes comparisons easier to understand.