VBLAX vs. VBIAX
VBLAX (Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VBIAX (Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VBLAX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VBIAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the 60% CRSP US Total Market Index / 40% Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 5 years, VBLAX returned -5.20%/yr vs 6.98%/yr for VBIAX. Their 0.19 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. Both charge a 0.07% expense ratio.
Performance
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBLAX achieves a -3.42% return, which is significantly lower than VBIAX's 6.08% return.
VBLAX
- 1D
- -0.50%
- 1M
- -3.76%
- 6M
- -3.26%
- YTD
- -3.42%
- 1Y
- -1.17%
- 3Y*
- 1.23%
- 5Y*
- -5.20%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 0.08%
VBIAX
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- -0.55%
- 6M
- 4.68%
- YTD
- 6.08%
- 1Y
- 13.66%
- 3Y*
- 13.03%
- 5Y*
- 6.98%
- 10Y*
- 9.44%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.17%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | -3.42% | 6.57% | -4.14% | 7.55% | -27.22% | -3.36% | 15.75% | 16.45% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 6.08% | 13.61% | 14.58% | 17.54% | -16.90% | 14.21% | 16.40% | 14.63% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBLAX and VBIAX is 0.44, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.44 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.34 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 7, 2019 | 0.19 |
Over the past year, VBLAX and VBIAX have become more correlated (0.44) than their long-term average of 0.19, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VBLAX vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank
VBLAX
VBIAX
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VBLAX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.27 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 2.22 | -2.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 9.45 | -9.50 |
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Drawdowns
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBLAX drawdown since its inception was -38.62%, which is greater than VBIAX's maximum drawdown of -35.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBLAX and VBIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBLAX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.62% | -35.90% | -2.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.45% | -5.83% | -0.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.56% | -11.70% | +0.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.32% | -21.53% | -14.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -22.78% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -27.42% | -1.19% | -26.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.25% | -4.42% | -13.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.75% | 1.36% | +1.39% |
Volatility
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) is 2.10%, while Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) has a volatility of 2.32%. This indicates that VBLAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBLAX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.10% | 2.32% | -0.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.00% | 6.83% | -0.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.87% | 8.55% | -0.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.81% | 11.14% | +1.67% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.56% | 11.23% | +1.33% |
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VBLAX and VBIAX have an expense ratio of 0.07%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VBLAX vs. VBIAX - Dividend Comparison
VBLAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.54%, less than VBIAX's 5.36% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.36% | 6.00% | 5.27% | 4.35% | 2.83% | 3.19% | 2.65% | 2.28% | 2.32% | 1.95% | 2.09% | 2.09% |
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.54% | 4.64% | 4.61% | 4.08% | 4.13% | 2.62% | 5.39% | 3.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBLAX and VBIAX have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBIAX has higher volatility (2.32%) compared to VBLAX (2.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBLAX dropped -38.62% vs VBIAX's -35.90%.
VBIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.51 vs -0.02), 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.
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