S&P 500 Annual Returns by Year: Complete Table 1928–2026
The full year-by-year ledger, total-return basis, refreshed every trading day.
73 / 26
Up years vs down years
+52.6%
Best year (1954)
−43.8%
Worst year (1931)
The complete table, 1928–2026
Total returns (price + dividends reinvested) for every calendar year in the record. The current year is year-to-date and moves daily.
| Year | Total return |
|---|---|
| 2026 | +10.0% |
| 2025 | +17.9% |
| 2024 | +25.0% |
| 2023 | +26.3% |
| 2022 | −18.1% |
| 2021 | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +18.4% |
| 2019 | +31.5% |
| 2018 | −4.4% |
| 2017 | +21.8% |
| 2016 | +12.0% |
| 2015 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | +13.7% |
| 2013 | +32.4% |
| 2012 | +16.0% |
| 2011 | +2.1% |
| 2010 | +15.1% |
| 2009 | +26.5% |
| 2008 | −37.0% |
| 2007 | +5.5% |
| 2006 | +15.8% |
| 2005 | +4.9% |
| 2004 | +10.9% |
| 2003 | +28.7% |
| 2002 | −22.1% |
| 2001 | −11.9% |
| 2000 | −9.1% |
| 1999 | +21.0% |
| 1998 | +28.6% |
| 1997 | +33.4% |
| 1996 | +23.0% |
| 1995 | +37.6% |
| 1994 | +1.3% |
| 1993 | +10.1% |
| 1992 | +7.6% |
| 1991 | +30.5% |
| 1990 | −3.1% |
| 1989 | +31.7% |
| 1988 | +16.5% |
| 1987 | +5.8% |
| 1986 | +18.5% |
| 1985 | +31.2% |
| 1984 | +6.2% |
| 1983 | +22.3% |
| 1982 | +20.4% |
| 1981 | −4.7% |
| 1980 | +31.7% |
| 1979 | +18.5% |
| 1978 | +6.5% |
| 1977 | −7.0% |
| 1976 | +23.8% |
| 1975 | +37.0% |
| 1974 | −25.9% |
| 1973 | −14.3% |
| 1972 | +18.8% |
| 1971 | +14.2% |
| 1970 | +3.6% |
| 1969 | −8.2% |
| 1968 | +10.8% |
| 1967 | +23.8% |
| 1966 | −10.0% |
| 1965 | +12.4% |
| 1964 | +16.4% |
| 1963 | +22.6% |
| 1962 | −8.8% |
| 1961 | +26.6% |
| 1960 | +0.3% |
| 1959 | +12.1% |
| 1958 | +43.7% |
| 1957 | −10.5% |
| 1956 | +7.4% |
| 1955 | +32.6% |
| 1954 | +52.6% |
| 1953 | −1.2% |
| 1952 | +18.1% |
| 1951 | +23.7% |
| 1950 | +30.8% |
| 1949 | +18.3% |
| 1948 | +5.7% |
| 1947 | +5.2% |
| 1946 | −8.4% |
| 1945 | +35.8% |
| 1944 | +19.0% |
| 1943 | +25.1% |
| 1942 | +19.2% |
| 1941 | −12.8% |
| 1940 | −10.7% |
| 1939 | −1.1% |
| 1938 | +29.3% |
| 1937 | −35.3% |
| 1936 | +31.9% |
| 1935 | +46.7% |
| 1934 | −1.2% |
| 1933 | +50.0% |
| 1932 | −8.6% |
| 1931 | −43.8% |
| 1930 | −25.1% |
| 1929 | −8.3% |
| 1928 | +43.8% |
How to read a century of annual numbers
- 73 up years, 26 down years — a 73% hit rate.
- Streaks are normal. The 1990s produced nine straight gains; 1929–1932 produced four straight losses. Independence is a bad mental model for annual returns.
- The tails carry the record. Only 8 years landed within ±2 points of the +11.9% average.
FAQ
What was the S&P 500 return in 2008?
−37.0% total return — the worst calendar year of the modern era, second only to 1931's −43.8% in the full record.
What was the best year ever for the S&P 500?
1954, at +52.6% total return.
What is the S&P 500's return this year?
+10.0% year-to-date as of the latest refresh (2026-06-25).
Table generated from /api/sp500/annual-tr.json, refreshed each trading day.