VGSNX vs. VBTLX
VGSNX (Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares) and VBTLX (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VGSNX is a REIT fund managed by Vanguard, while VBTLX is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, VGSNX returned 5.22%/yr vs 1.58%/yr for VBTLX. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VGSNX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VBTLX.
Performance
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGSNX achieves a 7.95% return, which is significantly higher than VBTLX's 0.42% return. Over the past 10 years, VGSNX has outperformed VBTLX with an annualized return of 5.22%, while VBTLX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.58% annualized return.
VGSNX
- 1D
- 0.44%
- 1M
- -0.96%
- YTD
- 7.95%
- 6M
- 6.90%
- 1Y
- 10.16%
- 3Y*
- 9.20%
- 5Y*
- 2.22%
- 10Y*
- 5.22%
VBTLX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.55%
- YTD
- 0.42%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 5.34%
- 3Y*
- 4.05%
- 5Y*
- 0.21%
- 10Y*
- 1.58%
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGSNX Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares | 7.95% | 3.21% | 3.72% | 13.12% | -26.19% | 40.46% | -4.76% | 28.98% | -5.97% | 4.90% |
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.42% | 7.17% | 1.26% | 5.74% | -13.16% | -1.81% | 7.72% | 8.73% | -0.25% | 3.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGSNX and VBTLX 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 | 0.39 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2003 | 0.01 |
Over the past year, VGSNX and VBTLX have become more correlated (0.35) than their long-term average of 0.01, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VGSNX vs. VBTLX — Risk / Return Rank
VGSNX
VBTLX
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares (VGSNX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX). 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.
| VGSNX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.60 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.24 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 1.86 | -0.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.75 | 5.58 | -1.83 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VGSNX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75 | 1.36 | -0.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 0.04 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.25 | 0.32 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.28 | 0.76 | -0.48 |
Drawdowns
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGSNX drawdown since its inception was -73.06%, which is greater than VBTLX's maximum drawdown of -18.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGSNX and VBTLX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGSNX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.06% | -18.81% | -54.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.34% | -2.89% | -5.45% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.41% | -6.00% | -11.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.39% | -18.14% | -16.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.30% | -18.81% | -23.49% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.52% | -2.18% | -1.34% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.29% | -2.67% | -10.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.64% | 0.96% | +1.68% |
Volatility
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares (VGSNX) has a higher volatility of 3.75% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) at 1.38%. This indicates that VGSNX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBTLX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGSNX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.75% | 1.38% | +2.37% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.32% | 2.80% | +6.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.16% | 3.97% | +9.19% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.87% | 6.01% | +12.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.91% | 4.98% | +15.93% |
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGSNX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VBTLX's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VGSNX vs. VBTLX - Dividend Comparison
VGSNX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.71%, less than VBTLX's 3.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.98% | 3.87% | 3.69% | 3.10% | 2.59% | 1.96% | 2.39% | 2.74% | 2.57% | 2.56% | 2.53% | 2.82% |
VGSNX Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares | 3.71% | 3.94% | 3.87% | 3.93% | 3.94% | 2.57% | 3.95% | 3.40% | 4.75% | 4.26% | 4.84% | 3.94% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGSNX and VBTLX 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.
VGSNX has higher volatility (3.75%) compared to VBTLX (1.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGSNX dropped -73.06% vs VBTLX's -18.81%.
VBTLX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.36 vs 0.75), 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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