FAFTX vs. FRDPX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FAFTX (Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class) and FRDPX (Franklin Rising Dividends Fund) are both mutual funds - FAFTX is a Municipal Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, while FRDPX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Franklin Templeton. Over the past 10 years, FAFTX returned 2.32%/yr vs 11.39%/yr for FRDPX. At a correlation of -0.11, they often move in opposite directions. FAFTX charges 0.52%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FRDPX.

Performance

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class (FAFTX) and Franklin Rising Dividends Fund (FRDPX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FAFTX achieves a 2.14% return, which is significantly lower than FRDPX's 5.63% return. Over the past 10 years, FAFTX has underperformed FRDPX with an annualized return of 2.32%, while FRDPX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.39% annualized return.

FAFTX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.90%
• YTD: 2.14%
• 6M: 2.68%
• 1Y: 8.22%
• 3Y*: 4.95%
• 5Y*: 1.20%
• 10Y*: 2.32%

FRDPX

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: 2.34%
• YTD: 5.63%
• 6M: 5.14%
• 1Y: 15.01%
• 3Y*: 12.05%
• 5Y*: 8.38%
• 10Y*: 11.39%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FAFTX Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class	2.14%	4.88%	3.98%	6.80%	-11.57%	2.62%	5.74%	7.44%	0.79%	3.71%
FRDPX Franklin Rising Dividends Fund	5.63%	11.96%	10.92%	12.10%	-10.69%	26.62%	16.29%	29.83%	-5.27%	17.33%

Correlation

The correlation between FAFTX and FRDPX is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.17
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.03
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 21, 2002	-0.11

The correlation between FAFTX and FRDPX shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FAFTX vs. FRDPX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FAFTX

FAFTX Risk / Return Rank: 74
FAFTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
FAFTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
FAFTX Omega Ratio Rank: 90
FAFTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
FAFTX Martin Ratio Rank: 50

FRDPX

FRDPX Risk / Return Rank: 30
FRDPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
FRDPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
FRDPX Omega Ratio Rank: 25
FRDPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
FRDPX Martin Ratio Rank: 38

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class (FAFTX) and Franklin Rising Dividends Fund (FRDPX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	FAFTX	FRDPX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.66	1.50	+1.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.31	2.19	+2.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.66	1.26	+0.40
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.80	2.14	+0.66
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.00	8.35	+1.65
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FAFTX Sharpe Ratio is 2.66, which is higher than the FRDPX Sharpe Ratio of 1.50. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FAFTX and FRDPX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FAFTX	FRDPX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.66	1.50	+1.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26	0.55	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	0.67	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.02	0.61	+0.41

Drawdowns

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FAFTX drawdown since its inception was -17.02%, smaller than the maximum FRDPX drawdown of -51.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAFTX and FRDPX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FAFTX	FRDPX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.02%	-51.57%	+34.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.10%	-7.10%	+4.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.97%	-18.26%	+11.29%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.02%	-21.07%	+4.05%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-17.02%	-34.89%	+17.87%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.07%	-0.21%	+0.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.14%	-5.81%	+3.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.87%	1.82%	-0.95%

Volatility

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class (FAFTX) is 1.25%, while Franklin Rising Dividends Fund (FRDPX) has a volatility of 2.18%. This indicates that FAFTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FRDPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FAFTX	FRDPX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.25%	2.18%	-0.93%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.40%	7.66%	-5.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.26%	10.15%	-6.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.65%	15.36%	-10.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.28%	17.18%	-12.90%

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FAFTX has a 0.52% expense ratio, which is lower than FRDPX's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

FAFTX vs. FRDPX - Dividend Comparison

FAFTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%, less than FRDPX's 9.68% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FAFTX Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund Advisor Class	3.89%	5.05%	4.37%	3.23%	3.34%	2.74%	2.97%	3.92%	3.86%	3.90%	3.63%	3.88%
FRDPX Franklin Rising Dividends Fund	9.68%	10.25%	10.15%	4.60%	4.96%	4.42%	0.82%	3.01%	5.20%	0.90%	3.09%	5.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FAFTX and FRDPX in my portfolio?

FAFTX and FRDPX have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FAFTX or FRDPX?

FRDPX has higher volatility (2.18%) compared to FAFTX (1.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAFTX dropped -17.02% vs FRDPX's -51.57%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FAFTX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.66 vs 1.50), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.