Average Dow Jones return
Over the last 10 years the Dow Jones has returned +13.0% a year (CAGR) with dividends reinvested — +10.9% from price alone, and +9.4% after inflation. Since 1999 the annualized figure is +9.0%. Every standard window, through Oct 5, 2026:
| Window | Since | Total return /yr | Price only /yr | Dividends /yr | After inflation /yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | Oct 6, 2025 | +11.36% | +9.73% | +1.62% | +8.45% |
| 3 years | Oct 6, 2023 | +17.17% | +15.31% | +1.86% | +14.02% |
| 5 years | Oct 5, 2021 | +10.23% | +8.34% | +1.89% | +6.16% |
| 10 years | Oct 5, 2016 | +13.02% | +10.86% | +2.15% | +9.42% |
| 15 years | Oct 6, 2011 | +13.03% | +10.73% | +2.30% | +10.14% |
| 20 years | Oct 5, 2006 | +9.95% | +7.59% | +2.36% | +7.21% |
| 28.7 years (all data) | Jan 23, 1998 | +9.03% | +6.83% | +2.20% | +6.31% |
Annualized (CAGR) from DIA daily closes at exact anniversary dates; inflation adjustment uses CPI (CPIAUCSL). The dividends column is the reinvested-dividend contribution — total return minus price return.
The years behind the average#
“Average” hides how lumpy the ride is: across 27 full calendar years, the market finished positive 78% of the time, with a best year of +29.6% (2013) and a worst of -32.2% (2008). The arithmetic mean of single years is +9.6% and the median +9.7% — but compounding through the crashes brings the realized annualized return to +9.0%. Almost no individual year lands near the average.
Related#
See each year individually on Dow Jones returns by year, or check this year's YTD so far.
More on Dow Jones
- Returns by year+6.6%
- Yearly charts+14.7%
- Trailing returns+9.5%
- YTD return+6.6%
- Return calculator$1,492
- Companies & weights30
- Stock performance30
- P/E ratio24.9