Russell 2000 DCA Calculator
$100 a month in Russell 2000 (IWM) for the last 5 years would be worth $8,405 today, from $6,000 invested: a 13.4% annual return.
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF tracks about 2,000 small U.S. companies. Small caps have historically been more volatile than large caps, with deeper drops and sharper rebounds, so the gap between a steady DCA plan and a badly timed lump sum can be large.
Run your own Russell 2000 scenario
Change the monthly amount and dates. You can also switch to another asset, or type any ticker Yahoo Finance supports.
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$100 a month in Russell 2000: 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 | $1,275 | 11.8% | $1,398 |
| 3 years (from Nov 2023) | $3,600 | $4,610 | 16.7% | $6,425 |
| 5 years (from Nov 2021) | $6,000 | $8,405 | 13.4% | $7,949 |
| 10 years (from Nov 2016) | $12,000 | $20,384 | 10.2% | $32,595 |
| 20 years (from Nov 2006) | $24,000 | $72,885 | 10.1% | $116,739 |
Annual return is the money-weighted return (IRR) of the monthly contributions. Prices are monthly closes from Yahoo Finance, with data from Jun 2000 through Oct 2026. See the methodology. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Russell 2000 DCA: frequently asked questions
How much would $100 a month in Russell 2000 be worth today?
Investing $100 a month in Russell 2000 (IWM) for the last 5 years (Nov 2021 to Oct 2026) would have turned $6,000 into about $8,405, a money-weighted annual return of 13.4%. Dividends are reinvested (total return). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Was DCA or a lump sum better for Russell 2000?
Over the last 20 years, investing the same $24,000 all at once in Nov 2006 would have grown to $116,739, compared with $72,885 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 Russell 2000?
Across 258 rolling 5-year periods of investing $100 a month, the best started in Jan 2009 and returned 21.6% a year; the worst started in Mar 2004 and returned −19.4% a year. 91% of those periods ended with more money than was put in.
How far has Russell 2000 fallen from a peak?
The largest fall in its month-end total-return price since Jun 2000 was −52%, from May 2007 to Feb 2009. Buying a fixed amount every month through a fall like that buys more shares at lower prices.