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 23 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% | 45.70B | Aug 2015 | MUNC vs VTEB | |
| Schwab Municipal Bond ETF | 0.03% | 3.87B | Oct 2022 | MUNC vs SCMB | |
| Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF | 0.05% | 178.36M | Jul 2019 | MUNC vs FMUN | |
| Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 59.79M | Aug 2025 | MUNC vs TAXT | |
| Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 0.05% | 94.44M | Aug 2025 | MUNC vs TAXS |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to MUNC
Among 110 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 | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMF | |
| First Trust Ultra Short Duration Municipal ETF | 96 | 230.57M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs FUMB | |
| iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 96 | 1.38B | Mar 2015 | MUNC vs MEAR | |
| iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF | 94 | 360.67M | Oct 2007 | MUNC vs CALI |
Top Performing MUNC Alternatives (YTD)
MUNC is at 0.96% YTD. There are 107 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 3.86%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond ET... | 3.86% | 138.42M | Jun 2013 | MUNC vs RVNU | |
| Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF | 3.41% | 30.60M | Sep 2019 | MUNC vs OVM | |
| T. Rowe Price High Income Municipal ETF | 3.16% | 25.30M | Nov 2025 | MUNC vs THYM | |
| First Trust Flexible Municipal High Income ETF | 3.15% | 18.90M | Sep 2016 | MUNC vs MFLX | |
| NYLI MacKay Muni Allocation ETF | 3.03% | 27.91M | Dec 2025 | MUNC vs MMMA |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to MUNC
MUNC has 2.71% 1-year volatility. There are 74 ETFs in the Municipal Bonds category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Muni Bond ETF | 0.00% | 349.85M | Mar 2018 | MUNC vs IBMM | |
| F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF | 0.54% | 27.03M | Sep 2025 | MUNC vs ZMUN | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF | 0.71% | 348.98M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs IBMN | |
| Allspring Ultra Short Municipal ETF | 0.73% | 30.06M | Jul 2025 | MUNC vs AUSM | |
| State Street My2026 Municipal Bond ETF | 0.75% | 8.74M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMF |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to MUNC
Among 110 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% | 230.57M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs FUMB | |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF | -0.25% | 348.98M | Nov 2018 | MUNC vs IBMN | |
| Invesco BulletShares 2026 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.33% | 294.75M | Sep 2019 | MUNC vs BSMQ | |
| Goldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETF | -0.36% | 40.29M | Jul 2024 | MUNC vs GUMI | |
| State Street My2027 Municipal Bond ETF | -0.36% | 9.88M | Sep 2024 | MUNC vs MYMG |
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.
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