How long does a bull market last? It depends on which time period you're looking at, Holeman says, but the average bull market lasts somewhere between five to nine years. We're currently in the middle of the second-longest bull market ever. It's been nearly nine years since the prior bear market ended in March 2009. Ultimately, they can range, says Holeman. They can be as long as 13 or 14 [years], and as short as two or three.