Dow Jones DCA Calculator
$100 a month in Dow Jones (DIA) for the last 5 years would be worth $8,449 today, from $6,000 invested: a 13.7% annual return.
The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF tracks the Dow, a price-weighted index of 30 large, established U.S. companies. With fewer holdings than the S&P 500, it is less diversified, but it has a long history and pays a monthly dividend.
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$100 a month in Dow Jones: results by holding period
Each row invests $100 at the start of every month up to Oct 2026, and compares it with investing the same total all at once at the start. Dividends are reinvested (total return).
| Period | Invested | Value today | Annual return | Lump sum instead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year (from Nov 2025) | $1,200 | $1,273 | 11.4% | $1,338 |
| 3 years (from Nov 2023) | $3,600 | $4,442 | 14.1% | $5,973 |
| 5 years (from Nov 2021) | $6,000 | $8,449 | 13.7% | $9,546 |
| 10 years (from Nov 2016) | $12,000 | $22,690 | 12.2% | $41,939 |
| 20 years (from Nov 2006) | $24,000 | $90,718 | 11.9% | $161,280 |
Annual return is the money-weighted return (IRR) of the monthly contributions. Prices are monthly closes from Yahoo Finance, with data from Feb 1998 through Oct 2026. See the methodology. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Dow Jones DCA: frequently asked questions
How much would $100 a month in Dow Jones be worth today?
Investing $100 a month in Dow Jones (DIA) for the last 5 years (Nov 2021 to Oct 2026) would have turned $6,000 into about $8,449, a money-weighted annual return of 13.7%. Dividends are reinvested (total return). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Was DCA or a lump sum better for Dow Jones?
Over the last 20 years, investing the same $24,000 all at once in Nov 2006 would have grown to $161,280, compared with $90,718 by investing $100 a month. The lump sum came out ahead because it was invested for longer, which is the usual result in a rising market. Most people invest from monthly income, so DCA is the practical choice either way.
What was the best and worst time to start DCA in Dow Jones?
Across 286 rolling 5-year periods of investing $100 a month, the best started in Feb 2013 and returned 18.5% a year; the worst started in Mar 2004 and returned −15.2% a year. 92% of those periods ended with more money than was put in.
How far has Dow Jones fallen from a peak?
The largest fall in its month-end total-return price since Feb 1998 was −47%, from Oct 2007 to Feb 2009. Buying a fixed amount every month through a fall like that buys more shares at lower prices.