VONG vs. VIGAX

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

VONG (Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF) and VIGAX (Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Large Cap Growth Equities funds from Vanguard - VONG tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index while VIGAX tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VONG returned 17.43%/yr vs 17.14%/yr for VIGAX. Their 0.98 correlation means they have historically moved very closely together. VONG charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for VIGAX.

Performance

VONG vs. VIGAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) and Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VONG achieves a 0.39% return, which is significantly lower than VIGAX's 3.80% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VONG having a 17.43% annualized return and VIGAX not far behind at 17.14%.

VONG

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: -2.27%
• 6M: 1.82%
• YTD: 0.39%
• 1Y: 10.18%
• 3Y*: 19.33%
• 5Y*: 11.83%
• 10Y*: 17.43%
• ALL TIME*: 16.45%

VIGAX

• 1D: 2.71%
• 1M: -1.61%
• 6M: 5.19%
• YTD: 3.80%
• 1Y: 14.04%
• 3Y*: 20.59%
• 5Y*: 11.90%
• 10Y*: 17.14%
• ALL TIME*: 9.56%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
VIGAX Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF	$121.41M	$148.04M	$174.70M

VONG vs. VIGAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF	0.39%	18.45%	33.20%	42.67%	-29.18%	27.60%	38.30%	36.06%	-1.53%	30.05%
VIGAX Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares	3.80%	19.43%	32.67%	46.76%	-33.14%	27.26%	40.18%	37.23%	-3.35%	27.80%

Correlation

The correlation between VONG and VIGAX is 0.98 - they have historically moved very closely together. At this level, their price movements offset little of one another.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.98
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.99
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.99
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.99
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2010	0.98

The correlation between VONG and VIGAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.98 to 0.99 - a consistent structural relationship.

VONG vs. VIGAX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VONG	VIGAX
Technology	54.3%	56.2%
Communication Services	16.2%	15.4%
Industrials	9.0%	5.3%
Consumer Cyclical	8.4%	11.5%
Healthcare	5.4%	4.7%
Financial Services	4.2%	3.8%
Consumer Defensive	1.2%	1.4%
Energy	0.5%	0.3%
Real Estate	0.4%	1.0%
Utilities	0.3%	0.7%
Basic Materials	0.3%	0.5%

Return for Risk

VONG vs. VIGAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VONG

VONG Risk / Return Rank: 21
VONG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 22
VONG Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
VONG Omega Ratio Rank: 21
VONG Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
VONG Martin Ratio Rank: 22

VIGAX

VIGAX Risk / Return Rank: 18
VIGAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
VIGAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
VIGAX Omega Ratio Rank: 19
VIGAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
VIGAX Martin Ratio Rank: 17

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VONG vs. VIGAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) and Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX). 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.

	VONG	VIGAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.46	0.66	-0.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.75	1.01	-0.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.12	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.50	0.71	-0.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.48	2.26	-0.77

VONG vs. VIGAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VONG Sharpe Ratio is 0.46, which is comparable to the VIGAX Sharpe Ratio of 0.66. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VONG and VIGAX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VONG vs. VIGAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VONG drawdown since its inception was -32.72%, smaller than the maximum VIGAX drawdown of -50.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VONG and VIGAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VONG	VIGAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.72%	-50.66%	+17.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.23%	-16.51%	+0.28%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.27%	-23.04%	-0.23%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.72%	-35.63%	+2.91%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.72%	-35.63%	+2.91%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.89%	-6.60%	-1.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.89%	-11.92%	+7.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.42%	5.16%	+0.26%

Volatility

VONG vs. VIGAX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) has a higher volatility of 6.45% compared to Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX) at 5.41%. This indicates that VONG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VIGAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VONG	VIGAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.45%	5.41%	+1.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.00%	14.24%	-0.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.45%	17.76%	-0.31%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.64%	22.62%	-0.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.01%	21.69%	-0.68%

VONG vs. VIGAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VONG has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is higher than VIGAX'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

VONG vs. VIGAX - Dividend Comparison

VONG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.48%, more than VIGAX's 0.39% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VIGAX Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares	0.39%	0.40%	0.46%	0.57%	0.69%	0.47%	0.66%	0.94%	1.31%	1.14%	1.39%	1.31%
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF	0.48%	0.45%	0.55%	0.71%	0.98%	0.58%	0.77%	1.03%	1.18%	1.19%	1.48%	1.47%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VONG and VIGAX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.98, VONG and VIGAX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, VONG or VIGAX?

VONG has higher volatility (6.45%) compared to VIGAX (5.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VONG dropped -32.72% vs VIGAX's -50.66%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VIGAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.66 vs 0.46), 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.