Historical Market Returns
| Index | Period | CAGR (nominal) | CAGR (real, after inflation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 1928-2024 | ~10% | ~7% |
| NASDAQ Composite | 1985-2024 | ~11.5% | ~8.5% |
| Dow Jones | 1928-2024 | ~9.5% | ~6.5% |
| International (MSCI EAFE) | 1970-2024 | ~8% | ~5% |
Stock Return Calculator
Calculate total return, CAGR, and profit from buy to sell — including dividends.
Return Breakdown
📐 How We Calculate — Learn about our calculation methodology, data sources, and quality standards.
FAQ
What is CAGR?
Compound Annual Growth Rate — the annualized return that smooths out yearly volatility. (End/Start)^(1/Years) − 1.
Should I include dividends?
Always. Dividends have historically contributed ~40% of S&P 500 total return.
Total return vs annualized return?
Total return is the overall gain. Annualized (CAGR) converts it to a per-year rate for comparison.