Northern Trust 2045 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNC) 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 MUNC. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to MUNC
MUNC charges 0.18% annually. There are 22 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 | MUNC vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.92B | Oct 2022 | MUNC vs SCMB | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 60.89M | Aug 2025 | MUNC vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 116.60M | Aug 2025 | MUNC vs TAXS | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 180.62M | Jul 2019 | MUNC vs FMUN |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MUNC
Among 107 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 98.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | 98 | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMG | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 97 | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs FUMB | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 97 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMF | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.39B | Mar 2015 | MUNC vs MEAR | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | 96 | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MUNC vs GUMI |
Top Performing MUNC Alternatives (YTD)
MUNC is at 1.32% YTD. There are 100 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 4.81%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 4.81% | 142.76M | Jun 2013 | MUNC vs RVNU | |
| X-Square Municipal Income Tax Free ETF | 4.33% | 4.54M | May 2023 | MUNC vs ZTAX | |
| Rareview Tax Advantaged Income ETF | 4.24% | 18.13M | Oct 2020 | MUNC vs RTAI | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 4.11% | 19.03M | Sep 2016 | MUNC vs MFLX | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 4.04% | 25.43M | Nov 2025 | MUNC vs THYM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MUNC
MUNC has 2.63% 1-year volatility. There are 62 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 | MUNC vs ZMUN | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.73% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMF | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.74% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUNC vs AUSM | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 0.75% | 398.45M | Oct 2007 | MUNC vs CALI | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 0.78% | 246.08M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs FUMB |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MUNC
Among 107 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go 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 | MUNC vs FUMB | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 290.51M | Sep 2019 | MUNC vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 38.99M | Jul 2024 | MUNC vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMG | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.38% | 587.10M | Apr 2019 | MUNC vs IBMO |
Other ETFs from Northern Trust
The 10 most viewed Northern Trust ETFs shown here include GUNR, ESG, HYGV and span 9 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $7B.
Often Compared With MUNC
Investors most often compare MUNC with MMMA, OVM, BSMR. These 4 comparison targets span 1 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 3.87% | 27.55M | Dec 2025 | MUNC vs MMMA | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 88 | 3.98% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MUNC vs OVM | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2027 Municipal Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | 94 | 1.28% | 342.74M | Sep 2019 | MUNC vs BSMR | |
| Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | Municipal Bonds | — | 1.17% | 153.73M | Aug 2025 | MUNC vs TAXI |
Compare MUNC with Any Fund or Stock
Compare MUNC with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair MUNC with funds that move differently
Northern Trust 2045 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to MUNC.
Explore MUNC Diversifiers