What if you'd held ^DJI?
A $1,000 investment in Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) at the month-end close of 1992-01 would be worth $16,586 at the close of 2026-08 — +1558.6% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $18,856.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included. Click any year for the full story.
Every year, $1,000 from 1992
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | $1,000 | — |
| 1993 | $1,137 | +13.7% |
| 1994 | $1,162 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | $1,550 | +33.5% |
| 1996 | $1,953 | +26.0% |
| 1997 | $2,396 | +22.6% |
| 1998 | $2,781 | +16.1% |
| 1999 | $3,483 | +25.2% |
| 2000 | $3,268 | -6.2% |
| 2001 | $3,036 | -7.1% |
| 2002 | $2,527 | -16.8% |
| 2003 | $3,167 | +25.3% |
| 2004 | $3,266 | +3.1% |
| 2005 | $3,247 | -0.6% |
| 2006 | $3,775 | +16.3% |
| 2007 | $4,018 | +6.4% |
| 2008 | $2,659 | -33.8% |
| 2009 | $3,159 | +18.8% |
| 2010 | $3,507 | +11.0% |
| 2011 | $3,701 | +5.5% |
| 2012 | $3,970 | +7.3% |
| 2013 | $5,022 | +26.5% |
| 2014 | $5,399 | +7.5% |
| 2015 | $5,279 | -2.2% |
| 2016 | $5,987 | +13.4% |
| 2017 | $7,488 | +25.1% |
| 2018 | $7,067 | -5.6% |
| 2019 | $8,645 | +22.3% |
| 2020 | $9,272 | +7.2% |
| 2021 | $11,008 | +18.7% |
| 2022 | $10,041 | -8.8% |
| 2023 | $11,417 | +13.7% |
| 2024 | $12,888 | +12.9% |
| 2025 | $14,560 | +13.0% |
| 2026 | $16,195 | +11.2% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought ^DJI was 1992-01 ($3,223): $1,000 then is $16,586 today. The worst was 2026-08 ($53,463): $1,000 then is $1,000.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in ^DJI be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) at the start of 1992 would be worth about $16,586 today, a total return of +1558.6%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for ^DJI?
Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI)'s strongest calendar year since 1992 was 1995, a +33.5% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,335 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -33.8%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in ^DJI have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1992-01 would have grown to about $216,319 on $41,600 invested.
Did ^DJI beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $18,856. ^DJI trailed the S&P 500 by +12.0% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. What If I'd Held is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) historical total-return data from 1992-01 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. What If I'd Held is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.