Just looked at some fascinating data on how the major U.S. stock market indexes performed over the past decade, and it's honestly pretty eye-opening for anyone thinking about where to put their money.

So here's the thing about the U.S. stock market - it's absolutely massive, representing nearly half of all global equities. And if you've been paying attention, you'd notice that most of the world's biggest companies are American. That's not a coincidence.

When people talk about stock market returns, they usually focus on three main indexes. The S&P 500 is probably the most widely followed - it tracks 500 large-cap companies and basically represents the entire U.S. market pretty well. Over the last decade through early 2024, the S&P 500 delivered a 163% total return, which compounds to about 10.2% annually. That's solid performance, especially considering how many corrections and bear markets happened during that stretch.

Then there's the Dow Jones, which is more selective - just 30 blue-chip companies that meet pretty strict criteria. It's generally seen as less risky but also less exciting. The Dow returned 131% over the same period, around 8.7% per year. It's been more stable than the S&P 500, but that stability comes with lower returns.

Now, if you wanted growth, the Nasdaq Composite was the place to be. Over 3,000 companies, heavily weighted toward tech and growth sectors. This index absolutely crushed it with a 264% return, compounding at 13.8% annually. Obviously more volatile, but the numbers speak for themselves.

What really struck me about analyzing these returns is how consistently profitable they've been despite everything the market threw at investors - multiple corrections, bear markets, all of it. The S&P 500 and Dow more than doubled, and the Nasdaq more than tripled. That's what patience actually looks like in action.

The takeaway here is pretty clear: if you're looking at the historical stock market return data, these major indexes have been wealth-building machines for long-term investors. Whether you pick an S&P 500 ETF, a Dow tracker, or go aggressive with Nasdaq exposure, the 10-year returns suggest you're looking at solid opportunities if you can stay invested through the volatility.

Warren Buffett has been saying for years that most people can't beat the market anyway, so why not just ride it with an index fund? The data backs him up - less than 15% of large-cap funds actually outperformed the S&P 500 over this decade. That tells you everything you need to know about trying to pick winners versus just staying the course.