VGSH vs. USRT
VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF) and USRT (iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGSH is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while USRT is a REIT fund tracking the FTSE Nareit Equity REITS 40 Act Capped Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VGSH returned 1.70%/yr vs 6.53%/yr for USRT. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VGSH charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for USRT.
Performance
VGSH vs. USRT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGSH achieves a 0.47% return, which is significantly lower than USRT's 17.49% return. Over the past 10 years, VGSH has underperformed USRT with an annualized return of 1.70%, while USRT has yielded a comparatively higher 6.53% annualized return.
VGSH
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- 0.47%
- 6M
- 0.64%
- 1Y
- 2.99%
- 3Y*
- 4.20%
- 5Y*
- 1.85%
- 10Y*
- 1.70%
USRT
- 1D
- 1.30%
- 1M
- 1.84%
- YTD
- 17.49%
- 6M
- 17.97%
- 1Y
- 18.57%
- 3Y*
- 14.08%
- 5Y*
- 5.53%
- 10Y*
- 6.53%
VGSH vs. USRT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.47% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 17.49% | 2.44% | 8.58% | 13.64% | -24.43% | 43.26% | -8.06% | 25.98% | -4.67% | 5.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGSH and USRT is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.06 |
Over the past year, VGSH and USRT have become more correlated (0.35) than their long-term average of 0.06, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VGSH vs. USRT — Risk / Return Rank
VGSH
USRT
VGSH vs. USRT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) and iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT). 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.
| VGSH | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.94 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.48 | 1.24 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.40 | 2.32 | +1.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.02 | 7.44 | +5.58 |
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Drawdowns
VGSH vs. USRT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGSH drawdown since its inception was -5.70%, smaller than the maximum USRT drawdown of -69.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGSH and USRT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGSH | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.70% | -69.92% | +64.22% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.88% | -8.04% | +7.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.97% | -18.70% | +17.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.66% | -31.03% | +25.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.70% | -44.38% | +38.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.31% | -0.25% | -0.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.60% | -12.94% | +12.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.23% | 2.50% | -2.27% |
Volatility
VGSH vs. USRT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) is 0.45%, while iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT) has a volatility of 5.19%. This indicates that VGSH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USRT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGSH | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.45% | 5.19% | -4.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.95% | 10.06% | -9.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.31% | 13.89% | -12.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.97% | 18.93% | -16.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.58% | 21.33% | -19.75% |
VGSH vs. USRT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGSH has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than USRT's 0.08% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VGSH vs. USRT - Dividend Comparison
VGSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%, more than USRT's 2.57% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 2.57% | 3.07% | 2.85% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.27% | 3.12% | 3.34% | 5.66% | 3.44% | 3.98% | 3.59% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.88% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGSH and USRT have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USRT has higher volatility (5.19%) compared to VGSH (0.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGSH dropped -5.70% vs USRT's -69.92%.
On 10-year performance, USRT leads with 6.53% vs 1.70% for VGSH. On fees, VGSH is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGSH has been the lower-risk option at 0.45%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, USRT has performed better with a 6.53% return vs 1.70%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGSH is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.08% for USRT.
VGSH has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 2.57% for USRT.
VGSH is categorized as Government Bonds, while USRT is REIT. VGSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while USRT tracks FTSE Nareit Equity REITS 40 Act Capped Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VGSH and 0.08% for USRT.
VGSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.29 vs 1.35), 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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