The Great Depression is generally considered to have lasted about 10 years , from 1929 to around 1939, with some measures extending its end into the early 1940s.

Quick Scoop

  • Most historians date the start to the stock market crash and downturn in 1929.
  • Globally, the downturn and severe hardship continued until about 1939.
  • In the United States, some economists say full recovery was only reached around 1939–1941 , as rearmament and World War II spending boosted the economy.

So, when people ask “how long did the Great Depression last?” , the common answer is:

Roughly a decade, from 1929 to the late 1930s (about 1939), with full U.S. recovery by around 1940–1941.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.