Here are the annual returns for the Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX):
| 1977 | -7.84% |
| 1978 | 5.87% |
| 1979 | 18.05% |
| 1980 | 31.92% |
| 1981 | -5.21% |
| 1982 | 20.97% |
| 1983 | 21.29% |
| 1984 | 6.21% |
| 1985 | 31.23% |
| 1986 | 18.06% |
| 1987 | 4.71% |
| 1988 | 16.22% |
| 1989 | 31.36% |
| 1990 | -3.32% |
| 1991 | 30.22% |
| 1992 | 7.42% |
| 1993 | 9.89% |
| 1994 | 1.18% |
| 1995 | 37.45% |
| 1996 | 22.88% |
| 1997 | 33.19% |
| 1998 | 28.62% |
| 1999 | 21.07% |
| 2000 | -9.06% |
| 2001 | -12.02% |
| 2002 | -22.15% |
| 2003 | 28.50% |
| 2004 | 10.74% |
| 2005 | 4.77% |
| 2006 | 15.64% |
| 2007 | 5.39% |
| 2008 | -37.02% |
| 2009 | 26.49% |
| 2010 | 14.91% |
| 2011 | 1.97% |
| 2012 | 15.82% |
| 2013 | 32.18% |
| 2014 | 13.51% |
| 2015 | 1.25% |
| 2016 | 11.82% |
| 2017 | 21.67% |
| 2018 | -4.52% |
| 2019 | 31.33% |
| 2020 | 18.25% |
| 2021 | 28.53% |
| 2022 | -18.23% |
| 2023 | 26.11% |
| 2024 | 24.84% |
| 2025 | 17.71% |
Combining all of the returns above, over the past 49 years, from 1977 to 2025, the fund has grown at an average rate of 11.57% each year.
So, if you invested $1,000 at the start of 1977 and simply held on to your investment, here’s how your money would’ve grown over the years:
| 1977 | $922 |
| 1978 | $976 |
| 1979 | $1,152 |
| 1980 | $1,519 |
| 1981 | $1,440 |
| 1982 | $1,742 |
| 1983 | $2,113 |
| 1984 | $2,245 |
| 1985 | $2,945 |
| 1986 | $3,477 |
| 1987 | $3,641 |
| 1988 | $4,232 |
| 1989 | $5,559 |
| 1990 | $5,374 |
| 1991 | $6,999 |
| 1992 | $7,518 |
| 1993 | $8,261 |
| 1994 | $8,359 |
| 1995 | $11,489 |
| 1996 | $14,118 |
| 1997 | $18,804 |
| 1998 | $24,185 |
| 1999 | $29,281 |
| 2000 | $26,628 |
| 2001 | $23,427 |
| 2002 | $18,238 |
| 2003 | $23,436 |
| 2004 | $25,953 |
| 2005 | $27,191 |
| 2006 | $31,444 |
| 2007 | $33,139 |
| 2008 | $20,871 |
| 2009 | $26,399 |
| 2010 | $30,336 |
| 2011 | $30,933 |
| 2012 | $35,827 |
| 2013 | $47,356 |
| 2014 | $53,754 |
| 2015 | $54,426 |
| 2016 | $60,859 |
| 2017 | $74,047 |
| 2018 | $70,700 |
| 2019 | $92,850 |
| 2020 | $109,795 |
| 2021 | $141,120 |
| 2022 | $115,394 |
| 2023 | $145,523 |
| 2024 | $181,671 |
| 2025 | $213,845 |
As you can see, if you invested $1,000 at the start of 1977 and simply held on to your investment, you would’ve ended up with $213,845 at the end of 2025.