VNJUX vs. GOVT

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VNJUX (Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares) and GOVT (iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF) are both funds - VNJUX is a Municipal Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while GOVT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, VNJUX returned 3.12%/yr vs 0.87%/yr for GOVT. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VNJUX charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for GOVT.

Performance

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VNJUX achieves a 1.96% return, which is significantly higher than GOVT's -0.11% return. Over the past 10 years, VNJUX has outperformed GOVT with an annualized return of 3.12%, while GOVT has yielded a comparatively lower 0.87% annualized return.

VNJUX

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 0.74%
• YTD: 1.96%
• 6M: 2.37%
• 1Y: 8.80%
• 3Y*: 4.72%
• 5Y*: 1.46%
• 10Y*: 3.12%

GOVT

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 0.11%
• YTD: -0.11%
• 6M: -0.34%
• 1Y: 3.87%
• 3Y*: 2.83%
• 5Y*: -0.45%
• 10Y*: 0.87%

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

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VNJUX Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares	1.96%	4.96%	2.79%	7.76%	-10.24%	2.69%	6.11%	9.37%	1.61%	8.48%
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	-0.11%	3.77%	2.95%	4.17%	-13.39%	-1.11%	7.28%	7.36%	0.26%	2.19%

Correlation

The correlation between VNJUX and GOVT is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.51
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 27, 2012	0.49

The correlation between VNJUX and GOVT shifts across timeframes, from 0.48 (10 years) to 0.61 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VNJUX vs. GOVT — Risk / Return Rank

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

VNJUX

VNJUX Risk / Return Rank: 76
VNJUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
VNJUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
VNJUX Omega Ratio Rank: 93
VNJUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
VNJUX Martin Ratio Rank: 52

GOVT

GOVT Risk / Return Rank: 28
GOVT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
GOVT Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
GOVT Omega Ratio Rank: 27
GOVT Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
GOVT Martin Ratio Rank: 28

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.

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT). 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.

	VNJUX	GOVT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.83	1.07	+1.76
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.50	1.62	+2.88
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.69	1.18	+0.51
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.94	1.36	+1.58
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.59	4.01	+6.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VNJUX Sharpe Ratio is 2.83, which is higher than the GOVT Sharpe Ratio of 1.07. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VNJUX and GOVT, 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

	VNJUX	GOVT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.83	1.07	+1.76
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32	-0.08	+0.40
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69	0.17	+0.52
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.04	0.26	+0.78

Drawdowns

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VNJUX drawdown since its inception was -15.62%, smaller than the maximum GOVT drawdown of -19.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VNJUX and GOVT.

Drawdown Indicators

	VNJUX	GOVT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.62%	-19.07%	+3.45%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.94%	-2.85%	-0.09%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.87%	-5.43%	-1.44%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.62%	-16.60%	+0.98%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-15.62%	-19.07%	+3.45%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.22%	-7.17%	+6.95%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.05%	-5.25%	+3.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.81%	0.97%	-0.16%

Volatility

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) has a higher volatility of 1.15% compared to iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) at 1.09%. This indicates that VNJUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GOVT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VNJUX	GOVT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.15%	1.09%	+0.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.26%	2.51%	-0.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.05%	3.63%	-0.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.55%	6.04%	-1.49%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.57%	5.22%	-0.65%

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Expense Ratio Comparison

VNJUX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than GOVT's 0.05% 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

VNJUX vs. GOVT - Dividend Comparison

VNJUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.63%, more than GOVT's 3.59% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	3.59%	3.49%	3.14%	2.65%	1.77%	0.96%	2.17%	1.98%	1.97%	1.57%	1.40%	1.25%
VNJUX Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares	3.63%	4.49%	4.07%	3.03%	3.22%	2.91%	3.79%	4.15%	4.01%	4.13%	4.62%	3.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VNJUX and GOVT in my portfolio?

VNJUX and GOVT have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VNJUX or GOVT?

VNJUX has higher volatility (1.15%) compared to GOVT (1.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VNJUX dropped -15.62% vs GOVT's -19.07%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VNJUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.83 vs 1.07), 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.