Special Report

What the Stock Market Was Worth the Year You Were Born

Thomas C. Frohlich

Published: March 20, 2018 4:06 pm

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 2:15 am

The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its all-time high of 26,616.71 on Jan. 26. Driving the market’s surge over the decade have been a strengthening economy, rising corporate profits, and a massive tax cut signed into law late last year.

The Dow has been building on its 25% gain in 2017, its best year since 2013. It took 14 years for the index to rise from 10,000 to 15,000 but just three and a half to reach 20,000 in 2017.

Since late January, the closely watched stock market gauge has given back all of its gains this year as investors are concerned about President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement and the possibility the Federal Reserve will continue to hike rates to curb inflation.

The DJIA is a price-weighted average of 30 large American companies. Fluctuations in the Dow often reflect overall market conditions. The index currently contains companies such as the world’s largest retailer Walmart, media juggernaut Disney, global financial institution J.P. Morgan, aerospace and defense giant Boeing, and the newest member as of 2015, tech behemoth Apple. The only company remaining from the original list of 12 is industrial conglomerate General Electric.

The companies comprising the Dow change over time to reflect the changing economy. Since the creator of the index, Charles Dow, was also the founding editor of The Wall Street Journal, editors at the publication select the companies that comprise the index. Since its inception in 1896, when only 12 companies comprised the average, the Dow has changed 51 times.

The companies currently listed in the Dow are: 3M, American Express, Apple, Boeing, Caterpillar, Chevron, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Disney, DowDuPont Inc, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, Home Depot, IBM, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, McDonald’s, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Travelers Companies Inc, United Technologies, UnitedHealth, Verizon, Visa, Wal-Mart,

24/7 Wall St. determined the value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average each year since 1929.

Click here to see the value of the Dow the year you were born.
Click here to see our detailed findings.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1929
> Start: 4,314.2
> End: 3,491.7
> High: 5,356.3
> Change: -19.1%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

1930
> Start: 3,519.9
> End: 2,372.3
> High: 4,238.8
> Change: -32.6%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1931
> Start: 2,684.4
> End: 1,231.2
> High: 3,071.9
> Change: -54.1%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1932
> Start: 1,315.0
> End: 1,056.1
> High: 1,564.5
> Change: -19.7%

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Hottest Businesses to Franchise in America

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1933
> Start: 1,101.2
> End: 1,855.5
> High: 2,018.4
> Change: 68.5%

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1934
> Start: 1,804.2
> End: 1,870.4
> High: 1,990.8
> Change: 3.7%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1935
> Start: 1,832.3
> End: 2,526.9
> High: 2,602.5
> Change: 37.9%

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Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press / Wikimedia Commons

1936
> Start: 2,503.2
> End: 3,124.5
> High: 3,211.3
> Change: 24.8%

Source: State Library of New South Wales / Flickr

1937
> Start: 2,992.5
> End: 2,025.8
> High: 3,258.7
> Change: -32.3%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1938
> Start: 2,059.8
> End: 2,644.0
> High: 2,706.3
> Change: 28.4%

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1939
> Start: 2,662.6
> End: 2,603.7
> High: 2,702.1
> Change: -2.2%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

1940
> Start: 2,598.1
> End: 2,249.8
> High: 2,621.6
> Change: -13.4%

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library (NLFDR) / Wikimedia Commons

1941
> Start: 2,133.8
> End: 1,813.3
> High: 2,183.1
> Change: -15.0%

Source: Australian War Memorial collection / Wikimedia Commons

1942
> Start: 1,665.4
> End: 1,763.3
> High: 1,767.9
> Change: 5.9%

Source: pingnews.com / Flickr

1943
> Start: 1,668.7
> End: 1,890.8
> High: 2,029.0
> Change: 13.3%

Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons

1944
> Start: 1,859.0
> End: 2,083.3
> High: 2,086.2
> Change: 12.1%

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1945
> Start: 2,040.5
> End: 2,579.8
> High: 2,618.7
> Change: 26.4%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

1946
> Start: 2,361.1
> End: 2,183.0
> High: 2,617.8
> Change: -7.5%

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1947
> Start: 1,900.6
> End: 1,952.0
> High: 2,013.3
> Change: 2.7%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1948
> Start: 1,809.8
> End: 1,772.4
> High: 1,930.9
> Change: -2.1%

Source: The U.S. National Archives / Flickr

1949
> Start: 1,766.6
> End: 2,019.9
> High: 2,023.8
> Change: 14.3%

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Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1950
> Start: 1,988.2
> End: 2,353.3
> High: 2,353.9
> Change: 18.4%

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1951
> Start: 2,223.0
> End: 2,494.5
> High: 2,560.7
> Change: 12.2%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1952
> Start: 2,446.7
> End: 2,646.5
> High: 2,647.4
> Change: 8.2%

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1953
> Start: 2,628.9
> End: 2,527.7
> High: 2,643.7
> Change: -3.8%

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1954
> Start: 2,533.3
> End: 3,621.4
> High: 3,621.4
> Change: 42.9%

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1955
> Start: 3,675.4
> End: 4,390.1
> High: 4,390.1
> Change: 19.4%

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Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

1956
> Start: 4,302.3
> End: 4,423.5
> High: 4,614.6
> Change: 2.8%

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1957
> Start: 4,241.7
> End: 3,725.7
> High: 4,453.2
> Change: -12.2%

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1958
> Start: 3,656.3
> End: 4,858.0
> High: 4,858.0
> Change: 32.9%

Source: The Sporting News Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1959
> Start: 4,850.6
> End: 5,608.1
> High: 5,608.1
> Change: 15.6%

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Source: Alden Jewell / Wikimedia Commons

1960
> Start: 5,518.6
> End: 5,005.2
> High: 5,570.7
> Change: -9.3%

Source: The U.S. National Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1961
> Start: 4,909.7
> End: 5,882.3
> High: 5,912.6
> Change: 19.8%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1962
> Start: 5,765.0
> End: 5,187.4
> High: 5,775.4
> Change: -10.0%

Source: Executive Office of the President of the United States / Wikimedia Commons

1963
> Start: 5,084.7
> End: 5,997.9
> High: 6,031.4
> Change: 18.0%

Source: Harry Pot, / Wikimedia Commons

1964
> Start: 5,942.9
> End: 6,781.1
> High: 6,917.5
> Change: 14.1%

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1965
> Start: 6,634.0
> End: 7,392.8
> High: 7,392.8
> Change: 11.4%

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Source: Nationaal Archief / Wikimedia Commons

1966
> Start: 7,182.5
> End: 5,826.5
> High: 7,379.8
> Change: -18.9%

Source: JOHN LLOYD / Flickr

1967
> Start: 5,667.7
> End: 6,523.2
> High: 6,796.9
> Change: 15.1%

Source: Ollie Atkins, White House photographer / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1968
> Start: 6,272.7
> End: 6,528.1
> High: 6,814.8
> Change: 4.1%

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

1969
> Start: 6,221.3
> End: 5,253.9
> High: 6,359.9
> Change: -15.5%

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Source: CBS Television / Wikimedia Commons

1970
> Start: 5,015.1
> End: 5,199.3
> High: 5,218.4
> Change: 3.7%

Source: Leena A. Krohn / Wikimedia Commons

1971
> Start: 4,935.4
> End: 5,289.7
> High: 5,649.9
> Change: 7.2%

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1972
> Start: 5,115.2
> End: 5,867.0
> High: 5,960.5
> Change: 14.7%

Source: sterferg / Wikimedia Commons

1973
> Start: 5,587.0
> End: 4,607.8
> High: 5,695.4
> Change: -17.5%

Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

1974
> Start: 4,173.7
> End: 3,007.1
> High: 4,351.1
> Change: -28.0%

Source: O'Halloran, Thomas J. / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1975
> Start: 2,825.8
> End: 3,811.1
> High: 3,942.5
> Change: 34.9%

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Source: White House Photograph Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library / Wikimedia Commons

1976
> Start: 3,630.2
> End: 4,247.2
> High: 4,290.1
> Change: 17.0%

Source: Derzsi Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons

1977
> Start: 3,970.6
> End: 3,301.0
> High: 3,970.6
> Change: -16.9%

Source: Steve Morgan / Wikimedia Commons

1978
> Start: 3,018.1
> End: 2,971.2
> High: 3,350.3
> Change: -1.6%

Source: Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Report / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1979
> Start: 2,691.5
> End: 2,782.0
> High: 2,977.4
> Change: 3.4%

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Source: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo / Wikimedia Commons

1980
> Start: 2,409.4
> End: 2,816.8
> High: 2,922.5
> Change: 16.9%

Source: White House Photographic Office / The National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1981
> Start: 2,575.2
> End: 2,316.4
> High: 2,710.9
> Change: -10.1%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1982
> Start: 2,201.4
> End: 2,610.6
> High: 2,670.5
> Change: 18.6%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

1983
> Start: 2,482.2
> End: 3,041.9
> High: 3,110.9
> Change: 22.6%

Source: Marcin Wichary / Wikimedia Commons

1984
> Start: 2,902.4
> End: 2,807.0
> High: 2,980.9
> Change: -3.3%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1985
> Start: 2,682.0
> End: 3,460.1
> High: 3,474.5
> Change: 29.0%

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Source: A1C Nancy Smelser / Wikimedia Commons

1986
> Start: 3,377.3
> End: 4,164.1
> High: 4,295.1
> Change: 23.3%

Source: Virginia Tehan / Wikimedia Commons

1987
> Start: 4,083.9
> End: 4,108.4
> High: 5,768.8
> Change: 0.6%

Source: National Park Service / Wikimedia Commons

1988
> Start: 4,100.6
> End: 4,412.6
> High: 4,443.0
> Change: 7.6%

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1989
> Start: 4,163.3
> End: 5,344.7
> High: 5,418.9
> Change: 28.4%

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Source: Andrew Thomas / Wikimedia Commons

1990
> Start: 5,175.6
> End: 4,850.5
> High: 5,524.8
> Change: -6.3%

Source: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

1991
> Start: 4,614.0
> End: 5,600.5
> High: 5,600.5
> Change: 21.4%

Source: Gary B. Edstrom / Wikimedia Commons

1992
> Start: 5,443.0
> End: 5,663.8
> High: 5,856.1
> Change: 4.1%

Source: Official White House photograph / Wikimedia Commons

1993
> Start: 5,512.7
> End: 6,253.8
> High: 6,320.8
> Change: 13.4%

Source: Andrea Booher / FEMA / Wikimedia Commons

1994
> Start: 6,101.7
> End: 6,228.2
> High: 6,461.9
> Change: 2.1%

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

1995
> Start: 6,062.9
> End: 8,082.5
> High: 8,239.4
> Change: 33.3%

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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1996
> Start: 7,943.3
> End: 9,893.0
> High: 10,065.8
> Change: 24.5%

Source: Kees de Vos / Wikimedia Commons

1997
> Start: 9,662.4
> End: 11,860.7
> High: 12,387.2
> Change: 22.8%

Source: Flickr user Kevin Jarrett / Wikimedia Commons

1998
> Start: 11,762.7
> End: 13,559.0
> High: 13,843.8
> Change: 15.3%

Source: Grj23 / Wikimedia Commons

1999
> Start: 13,270.1
> End: 16,611.9
> High: 16,611.9
> Change: 25.2%

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Source: Rob Boudon / Wikimedia Commons

2000
> Start: 15,876.6
> End: 15,078.8
> High: 16,387.4
> Change: -5.0%

Source: SFC Thomas R. Roberts / Wikimedia Commons

2001
> Start: 14,470.4
> End: 13,621.4
> High: 15,410.7
> Change: -5.9%

Source: Sergeant Joseph R. Chenelly, United States Marine Corps / Wikimedia Commons

2002
> Start: 13,478.8
> End: 11,161.6
> High: 14,230.6
> Change: -17.2%

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Source: National Archive Catalog / Wikimedia Commons

2003
> Start: 11,260.7
> End: 13,676.3
> High: 13,676.3
> Change: 21.5%

Source: Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison Jr., U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

2004
> Start: 13,265.3
> End: 13,740.9
> High: 13,832.0
> Change: 3.6%

Source: Jocelyn Augustino / Wikimedia Commons

2005
> Start: 13,224.5
> End: 13,209.8
> High: 13,484.8
> Change: -0.1%

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Source: Kjetil Ree / Wikimedia Commons

2006
> Start: 12,952.1
> End: 14,881.4
> High: 14,938.0
> Change: 14.9%

Source: Ben Stanfield / Wikimedia Commons

2007
> Start: 14,482.6
> End: 15,400.1
> High: 16,444.7
> Change: 6.3%

Source: CODEPINK Women For Peace / Wikimedia Commons

2008
> Start: 14,583.8
> End: 9,812.5
> High: 14,599.8
> Change: -32.7%

Source: Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

2009
> Start: 10,137.0
> End: 11,700.4
> High: 11,835.6
> Change: 15.4%

Source: U.S. Coast Guard / Wikimedia Commons

2010
> Start: 11,683.6
> End: 12,780.4
> High: 12,789.1
> Change: 9.4%

Source: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons

2011
> Start: 12,489.3
> End: 13,074.5
> High: 13,709.0
> Change: 4.7%

Source: New Jersey National Guard / Wikimedia Commons

2012
> Start: 12,998.2
> End: 13,739.2
> High: 14,269.7
> Change: 5.7%

Source: White House / Sonya Hebert / Wikimedia Commons

2013
> Start: 13,859.1
> End: 17,128.6
> High: 17,128.6
> Change: 23.6%

Source: TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons

2014
> Start: 16,717.5
> End: 18,122.5
> High: 18,357.0
> Change: 8.4%

Source: Difference engine / Wikimedia Commons

2015
> Start: 18,111.1
> End: 17,696.8
> High: 18,598.0
> Change: -2.3%

Source: Krassotkin, Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons

2016
> Start: 17,199.4
> End: 19,820.8
> High: 20,033.4
> Change: 15.2%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

2017
> Start: 19,524.6
> End: 24,275.2
> High: 24,391.3
> Change: 24.3%

Source: N/A

Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

2018
> Start: 24,053.4
> End: 24,252.2
> High: 25,790.4
> Change: 0.8%

Like the economy as a whole, the stock market is much larger today than it was in 1917. While the economy has had its up and downs, the Dow has experienced much more extreme swings over the course of its history.

One of the most notable events in the history of the often-referenced index is the lows during the Great Depression. The Dow started the tumultuous 1929 year at an inflation-adjusted level of 4,314.2 points. In October of that year, the Dow lost nearly one-quarter of its value in just two days. The Dow reached its lowest point on July 8, 1932, with an adjusted value of 725.90 points — only 17% of its value at the start of 1929.

After the historic low, the Dow soared by nearly 70% in 1933, the largest single year growth in the history of the index. Still, the Dow did not return to its pre-Great Depression level until the mid 1950s.

There have been several other dramatic stock market swings since the Great Depression. The largest single day drop in the index’s history occurred during a stock market crash on Oct. 19, 1987, when the Dow nose-dived 22.6%. The Dow’s value doubled between 1995 and 1999 during the dot-com boom, only to collapse between 2000 and 2002. Relatively soon after, the Dow lost nearly a third of its value in 2008, as the financial crisis of the summer of 2007 hit global markets.

To determine the value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed daily Dow figures aggregated by economic research website MeasuringWorth.com. Historical Dow data are inflation-adjusted using annual headline CPI in chained 2016 dollars.

This is the value of the Dow the year you were born.