S&P 500 vs Dow Jones: which one returned more?

In short — over ~10 years, $1,000 invested in the S&P 500 would be worth $3,884 vs $3,037 for the Dow Jones → S&P 500 wins. Average annual return: S&P 500 +15%/yr, Dow Jones +12%/yr. Price performance, excluding dividends.

$1,000 invested in S&P 500 or Dow Jones

Investment ↕	S&P 500 i ↕	Dow Jones i ↕	Winner ↕
5 years ago	$1,969	$1,729	🟢 S&P 500
10 years ago	$3,884	$3,037	🟢 S&P 500

Return by year: S&P 500 vs Dow Jones

Year ▼	S&P 500 i ↕	Dow Jones i ↕	Winner ↕
2026	+9%	+10%	🔵 Dow Jones
2025	+16%	+13%	🟢 S&P 500
2024	+17%	+13%	🟢 S&P 500
2023	+28%	+14%	🟢 S&P 500
2022	-9%	-9%	🔵 Dow Jones
2021	+15%	+19%	🔵 Dow Jones
2020	+29%	+7%	🟢 S&P 500
2019	+6%	+22%	🔵 Dow Jones
2018	+3%	-6%	🟢 S&P 500
2017	+15%	+25%	🔵 Dow Jones
2016	+22%	+13%	🟢 S&P 500

⚠️ Past performance, not predictive nor advice. Prices in $, excluding dividends. Yahoo Finance data.

Frequently asked questions

S&P 500 or Dow Jones: which returned more over 10 years?

Over ~10 years, $1,000 invested in the S&P 500 is worth $3,884 vs $3,037 for the Dow Jones. S&P 500 wins over this period (price performance, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict the future.

Is this comparison investment advice?

No. It is a factual comparison of past performance (real Yahoo Finance prices), for educational purposes. Diversify and adapt to your horizon and risk tolerance.

What is JPI Invest?

JPI Invest ranks financial analysts on their real results (targets replayed against real prices, backtested over 11 years) and derives stock selections. Beyond asset comparisons, explore the interactive table, the method and the best stocks to buy.