Dimensional California Municipal Bond ETF (DFCA) belongs to the Municipal Bonds category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFCA. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA charges 0.19% annually. There are 47 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 47.60B | Aug 2015 | DFCA vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.92B | Oct 2022 | DFCA vs SCMB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 180.62M | Jul 2019 | DFCA vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 153.73M | Aug 2025 | DFCA vs TAXI | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | DFCA vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 79. There are 42 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | DFCA vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.39B | Mar 2015 | DFCA vs MEAR | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 95 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | DFCA vs GUMI |
Top Performing DFCA Alternatives (YTD)
DFCA is at 1.20% YTD. There are 105 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.59%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.59% | 142.76M | Jun 2013 | DFCA vs RVNU | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.35% | 19.03M | Sep 2016 | DFCA vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 4.16% | 25.43M | Nov 2025 | DFCA vs THYM | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 3.87% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | DFCA vs RTAI | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.68% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | DFCA vs OVM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has 1.72% 1-year volatility. There are 35 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 30.59M | Sep 2025 | DFCA vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.73% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.75% | 398.45M | Oct 2007 | DFCA vs CALI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | DFCA vs FUMB | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | DFCA vs AUSM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.77%. There are 32 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.22%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.22% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | DFCA vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 290.51M | Sep 2019 | DFCA vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | DFCA vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 587.10M | Apr 2019 | DFCA vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Dimensional
The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAW and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $47B.
Often Compared With DFCA
Investors most often compare DFCA with VCADX, MMCA, VCAIX. These 19 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DFCA with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DFCA with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DFCA with funds that move differently
Dimensional California Municipal Bond ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFCA.
Explore DFCA Diversifiers