Dow Jones Investment
| Asset | Start amount ($) | Annual Investment ($) | Annual Rate (%) | Profit ($) in 10 Years | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.50% | 18,705.92 | 38,705.92 |
Annual rate is price-only and does not include reinvested dividends.
All Assets Per Year
| Year | Start Amount | Total Contribution | Profit per Year | Accumulated Profit | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000 | $1,000 | $935 | $935 | $11,935 |
| 2 | $11,935 | $2,000 | $1,099 | $2,034 | $14,034 |
| 3 | $14,034 | $3,000 | $1,278 | $3,312 | $16,312 |
| 4 | $16,312 | $4,000 | $1,472 | $4,784 | $18,784 |
| 5 | $18,784 | $5,000 | $1,682 | $6,466 | $21,466 |
| 6 | $21,466 | $6,000 | $1,910 | $8,375 | $24,375 |
| 7 | $24,375 | $7,000 | $2,157 | $10,532 | $27,532 |
| 8 | $27,532 | $8,000 | $2,425 | $12,957 | $30,957 |
| 9 | $30,957 | $9,000 | $2,716 | $15,674 | $34,674 |
| 10 | $34,674 | $10,000 | $3,032 | $18,706 | $38,706 |
How the Dow Jones Rate Is Calculated
The annual rate above is the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI), calculated from its full available price history — the same data behind the Dow Jones historical data page. Unlike the S&P 500 calculator, no dividend adjustment is added here; this is a price-only figure.
The Dow is also different from the S&P 500 and NASDAQ in how it's built: it's price-weighted (higher-priced stocks move the index more, regardless of company size) and tracks only 30 large blue-chip companies rather than hundreds or thousands.
What This Calculator Doesn't Include
This projection applies one constant rate every year, which smooths over real market behavior — the Dow has had severe multi-year drawdowns (1929–1932, 2007–2009) alongside strong multi-year rallies. It also doesn't account for dividends, fund expense ratios, or capital gains tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average annual return of the Dow Jones?
Over long periods the Dow's price-only return has historically averaged in the high single digits annually, though any individual decade can vary widely. The rate used here is derived from actual historical price data rather than a rounded estimate.
Why doesn't this include dividends?
The underlying ^DJI index from Yahoo Finance is price-only. Many Dow components are established dividend payers, so a true total-return figure would be noticeably higher — similar in spirit to the adjustment applied on the S&P 500 calculator, just not yet added here.
How does the Dow compare to the S&P 500 or NASDAQ?
The Dow tracks only 30 large companies and is price-weighted, versus the broader, market-cap-weighted S&P 500 and tech-heavy NASDAQ. Use the historical comparison tool to see all three plotted together.
What's the biggest single-day drop in Dow history?
October 19, 1987 ("Black Monday"), when the Dow fell 22.6% in a single session — still its largest one-day percentage decline. See the historical data page for exact drawdown figures around that date.