$1,000 a month in the S&P 500 since 2018
Investing $1,000 every month in an S&P 500 index fund from January 2018 to Sep 2026 added up to $105,000. With dividends reinvested, it would be worth about $215,983.
Real monthly S&P 500 data, updated monthly. How we calculate$1,000 a month into the S&P 500 since Jan 2018 is worth
You would have put in $105,000 over 105 monthly buys. At the worst point, around Mar 2020, the balance was down 16% from its high, and the plan kept buying.
If you had invested the whole $105,000 in Jan 2018, it would be worth $329,221. S&P 500 monthly average prices, dividends reinvested (recent months use the last reported dividend, Jun 2023). Data through Sep 2026. One buy per month at that month's average price; no fees or taxes. Past returns do not predict future returns.
The result
That is 105 monthly buys. The balance ended at 2.1× the money put in, a money-weighted return of 16.2% a year. Without reinvesting dividends it would be $201,291, so dividends added $14,691.
Prices rose along the way, so the deposits are worth more in today's money than their face value: $105,000 of deposits equals about $123,415 in today's dollars. Even measured that way, the plan ended 1.8× ahead.
The hardest stretch: the balance fell 16% from its high around Mar 2020, during the 2020 COVID crash. Someone who kept buying through that drop bought shares cheaply, which is a large part of the final number.
| After | Put in | Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years (2022) | $60,000 | $73,755 |
| Now (Sep 2026) | $105,000 | $215,983 |
How the balance grew, with dividends reinvested. No fees or taxes.
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Common questions
How much is $1,000 a month in the S&P 500 since 2018 worth today?
About $215,983 as of Sep 2026, from $105,000 invested, with dividends reinvested and no fees or taxes.
What was the yearly return?
16.2% a year, measured as a money-weighted return that accounts for when each monthly deposit went in.
What was the worst moment?
A 16% fall from the previous high around Mar 2020, during the 2020 COVID crash. The plan only reached today's value because the buying continued.
Will the next 9 years be the same?
Nobody knows. Past returns do not predict future returns, and the S&P 500 has had decade-long stretches with little gain.
Based on the S&P 500 monthly average level with dividends reinvested (an index fund before its small fee). Educational estimates, not investment advice. Past returns do not predict future returns.
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