EQR vs SPY: which was the better investment?
Equity Residential against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Aug 12, 1993 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
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Frequently asked questions
Did EQR beat SPY?
No — measured from Aug 12, 1993 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, SPY came out ahead: $301,540 versus $265,045 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 10.9% annual return against 10.5%.
What would $10,000 in EQR be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Equity Residential (EQR) on Aug 12, 1993 would be worth about $265,045 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 2550.5% (10.5% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $301,540.
Which was riskier — EQR or SPY?
EQR swung with an annualized volatility of 30.0% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -67.4%; SPY ran at 18.7% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.28 for EQR vs 0.48 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Aug 12, 1993 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with EQR vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.