Percentages %

A percentage is a rate or proportion per hundred, and it is an indispensable part of everyday calculations – ranging from home loans to sporting averages.

Over time, the representation of percentages in most text has moved from words (per cent, percent) to the shorter symbol (%) except in references to the general concept of a percentage.

Style basics
Use the % symbol with numerals in all text, except at the start of a sentence
62%
0.5%

As part of the trend toward numerals over words for numbers, Australian style has moved steadily away from ‘per cent’ and ‘percent’ and adopted ‘%’ when referencing a percentage in body text.

You can use the % symbol in all your writing, whether it is formal or informal. Don’t put a space between the numerals and the symbol.

About 75% of the 10,000 acres are still publicly owned.
Last year’s attrition rate was 22 %.
Our benchmark is eighty percent.
The main exception occurs if the percentage starts a sentence, as Australian style is not to start a sentence with a numeral. Here, you’ll need to either recast the sentence or spell the percentage out in full. We recommend recasting because spelling out can be awkward and wordy. If you do spell the percentage out, write ‘percent’ as 1 word.
Development has destroyed 69% of the local koala habitat.
Sixty-nine percent of the local koala habitat has been destroyed by development.
69% of the local koala habitat has been destroyed by development.
Ranges
Use an unspaced en dash and don't repeat the % symbol
80–100%

For a percentage range:

  • join the numerals with an en dash
  • only use the % symbol after the second one
  • don’t abbreviate the numerals.
The average range is 60–69%.
A tolerance of 3%–5% is acceptable.
We expect gains of 50–5%.
Comparative data
Avoid the en dash and repeat the % symbol
from 5% to 8%

If you're giving 2 percentages as a comparison, there are a couple of points to know.

First, don’t use the en dash as this will suggest that the percentages form a (single) range instead of 2 values. And you need to repeat the % symbol with each numeral so there’s no risk of misreading.

Pool fence compliance has risen from 85% to 93% in the last 12 months.
Pool fence compliance has risen from 85–93% in the last 12 months.

Second, keep in mind the difference between a percentage and a percentage point. 

A percentage is a number expressed as a fraction of 100. A percentage point is the difference between 2 percentages. But people often mistake one for the other. For the above example:

Pool fence compliance has risen by 8 percentage points.
Pool fence compliance has risen by 9.4%.
Pool fence compliance has risen by 8%.
General references
Spell out ‘percentage’ when you’re not referring to a specific figure
What percentage of the monthly target have we met so far?

Reserve the word ‘percentage’ for a general reference where there is no number attached to it.

How do I calculate a percentage from these 2 numbers?
We expect a high % of employees will take up this offer.
See also:   Number formatting,  Numbers,  per