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 48 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.03%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.93B | Oct 2022 | DFCA vs SCMB | |
| Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.03% | 48.80B | Aug 2015 | DFCA vs VTEB | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.01M | Aug 2025 | DFCA vs TAXT | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 183.09M | Jul 2019 | DFCA vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 130.20M | Aug 2025 | DFCA vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 64. There are 57 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 97.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMG | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 96 | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | DFCA vs AUSM | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 96 | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | DFCA vs GUMI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 96 | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | DFCA vs FUMB |
Top Performing DFCA Alternatives (YTD)
DFCA is at 0.46% YTD. There are 111 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.08%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 3.08% | 4.54M | May 2023 | DFCA vs ZTAX | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 2.98% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | DFCA vs OVM | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 2.85% | 28.01M | Dec 2025 | DFCA vs MMMA | |
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 2.79% | 142.95M | Jun 2013 | DFCA vs RVNU | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 2.68% | 26.19M | Nov 2025 | DFCA vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has 1.82% 1-year volatility. There are 37 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% | 34.95M | Sep 2025 | DFCA vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.64% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.72% | 445.30M | Oct 2007 | DFCA vs CALI | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.76% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | DFCA vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.82% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMG |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFCA
DFCA has a 1-year max drawdown of -1.77%. There are 33 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -0.23%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | -0.23% | 246.47M | Nov 2018 | DFCA vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.30% | 270.83M | Sep 2019 | DFCA vs BSMQ | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 8.63M | Sep 2024 | DFCA vs MYMG | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 54.13M | Jul 2024 | DFCA vs GUMI | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 576.01M | 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 $48B.
Often Compared With DFCA
Investors most often compare DFCA with VCADX, MMCA, VCAIX. These 19 comparison targets span 10 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