A complete look at the S&P 500's annual performance history from 1928 through 2026. Data includes both price appreciation and reinvested dividends (total return).
| Year | Total Return (With Dividends) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | N/A |
| 2025 | N/A |
| 2024 | +24.88% |
| 2023 | +26.06% |
| 2022 | -18.04% |
| 2021 | +28.47% |
| 2020 | +18.02% |
| 2019 | +31.21% |
| 2018 | -4.23% |
| 2017 | +21.61% |
| 2016 | +11.77% |
| 2015 | +1.38% |
| 2014 | +13.52% |
| 2013 | +32.15% |
| 2012 | +15.89% |
| 2011 | +2.10% |
| 2010 | +14.82% |
| 2009 | +25.94% |
| 2008 | -36.55% |
| 2007 | +5.48% |
| 2006 | +15.61% |
| 2005 | +4.83% |
| 2004 | +10.74% |
| 2003 | +28.36% |
| 2002 | -21.97% |
| 2001 | -11.85% |
| 2000 | -9.03% |
| 1999 | +20.89% |
| 1998 | +28.34% |
| 1997 | +33.10% |
| 1996 | +22.68% |
| 1995 | +37.20% |
| 1994 | +1.33% |
| 1993 | +9.97% |
| 1992 | +7.49% |
| 1991 | +30.23% |
| 1990 | -3.06% |
| 1989 | +31.48% |
| 1988 | +16.54% |
| 1987 | +5.81% |
| 1986 | +18.49% |
| 1985 | +31.24% |
| 1984 | +6.15% |
| 1983 | +22.34% |
| 1982 | +20.42% |
| 1981 | -4.70% |
| 1980 | +31.74% |
| 1979 | +18.52% |
| 1978 | +6.51% |
| 1977 | -6.98% |
| 1976 | +23.83% |
| 1975 | +37.00% |
| 1974 | -25.90% |
| 1973 | -14.31% |
| 1972 | +18.76% |
| 1971 | +14.22% |
| 1970 | +3.56% |
| 1969 | -8.24% |
| 1968 | +10.81% |
| 1967 | +23.80% |
| 1966 | -9.97% |
| 1965 | +12.40% |
| 1964 | +16.42% |
| 1963 | +22.61% |
| 1962 | -8.81% |
| 1961 | +26.64% |
| 1960 | +0.34% |
| 1959 | +12.06% |
| 1958 | +43.72% |
| 1957 | -10.46% |
| 1956 | +7.44% |
| 1955 | +32.60% |
| 1954 | +52.56% |
| 1953 | -1.21% |
| 1952 | +18.15% |
| 1951 | +23.68% |
| 1950 | +30.81% |
| 1949 | +18.30% |
| 1948 | +5.70% |
| 1947 | +5.20% |
| 1946 | -8.43% |
| 1945 | +35.82% |
| 1944 | +19.03% |
| 1943 | +25.06% |
| 1942 | +19.17% |
| 1941 | -12.77% |
| 1940 | -10.67% |
| 1939 | -1.10% |
| 1938 | +29.28% |
| 1937 | -35.34% |
| 1936 | +31.94% |
| 1935 | +46.74% |
| 1934 | -1.19% |
| 1933 | +49.98% |
| 1932 | -8.64% |
| 1931 | -43.84% |
| 1930 | -25.12% |
| 1929 | -8.30% |
| 1928 | +43.81% |
The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, has generated positive returns in roughly 73% of years since 1928. Returns vary widely by year, ranging from gains of over 50% to losses of over 40%.
The historical average annual return for the S&P 500 from 1928 to 2024 is approximately 11.9%. However, the median return is higher, at around 15.2%, because a few very bad years drag the arithmetic average down.
Our complete S&P 500 yearly performance history table provides the total return (including dividends) for every year from 1928 to the present day, allowing you to track historical trends across nearly a century of market data.
While short-term returns are highly volatile, the long-term average stock market return per year is historically around 10-12% before inflation, assuming dividends are reinvested.
Historically, the stock market goes down about 1 out of every 4 years. From 1928 to 2024, the S&P 500 recorded negative annual returns in 26 out of 97 years.