VFIAX’s worst drop since 2000 was 55%
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral (VFIAX) fell 55% from Oct 2007 to Mar 2009. It took 4.5 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Mar 2012. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 26th deepest among the 109 mutual funds PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 2000 to now
How VFIAX held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | VFIAX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | not trading yet | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −55.2% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −33.8% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −24.5% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
See how VFIAX behaves inside your whole mix, with the worst 12 months, loss odds and crash replays. Free, no signup, and the math runs in your browser.
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What was VFIAX’s maximum drawdown?
VFIAX’s deepest fall since 2000 was 55.2%, from its high on October 9, 2007 to its low on March 9, 2009. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did VFIAX take to recover?
4.5 years. VFIAX first closed above its Oct 2007 high again on March 26, 2012.
Was VFIAX riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, VFIAX’s worst drop was 55.2% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −47.4% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, November 14, 2000 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.