VPAIX vs. DFSMX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VPAIX) and DFA Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFSMX).
VPAIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Apr 7, 1986. DFSMX is managed by Dimensional. It was launched on Aug 19, 2002.
Performance
VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Performance Comparison
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VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VPAIX Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares | -0.88% | 5.27% | 2.59% | 7.25% | -10.20% | 1.97% | 5.86% | 9.05% | 1.11% | 6.61% |
DFSMX DFA Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio | 0.55% | 2.30% | 2.84% | 2.98% | -0.36% | -0.11% | 0.83% | 1.62% | 1.22% | 1.15% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VPAIX achieves a -0.88% return, which is significantly lower than DFSMX's 0.55% return. Over the past 10 years, VPAIX has outperformed DFSMX with an annualized return of 2.62%, while DFSMX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.23% annualized return.
VPAIX
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- -2.82%
- YTD
- -0.88%
- 6M
- 1.35%
- 1Y
- 4.37%
- 3Y*
- 3.71%
- 5Y*
- 1.13%
- 10Y*
- 2.62%
DFSMX
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- -0.05%
- YTD
- 0.55%
- 6M
- 1.10%
- 1Y
- 2.45%
- 3Y*
- 2.60%
- 5Y*
- 1.63%
- 10Y*
- 1.23%
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VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VPAIX has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than DFSMX's 0.20% 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%.
Return for Risk
VPAIX vs. DFSMX — Risk / Return Rank
VPAIX
DFSMX
VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VPAIX) and DFA Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFSMX). 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.
| VPAIX | DFSMX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.98 | 3.68 | -2.70 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.35 | 6.50 | -5.15 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 3.20 | -1.92 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.07 | 4.59 | -3.52 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.33 | 21.83 | -18.50 |
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
| VPAIX | DFSMX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.98 | 3.68 | -2.70 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 | 2.11 | -1.85 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 | 1.60 | -1.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.13 | 1.78 | -0.65 |
Correlation
The correlation between VPAIX and DFSMX is 0.39, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Dividend Comparison
VPAIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.69%, more than DFSMX's 2.43% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VPAIX Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares | 3.69% | 4.48% | 4.04% | 3.25% | 3.12% | 2.45% | 3.16% | 3.70% | 3.91% | 3.93% | 4.10% | 3.92% |
DFSMX DFA Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio | 2.43% | 2.08% | 2.80% | 1.94% | 0.63% | 0.19% | 0.83% | 1.22% | 1.11% | 0.95% | 0.94% | 0.95% |
Drawdowns
VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VPAIX drawdown since its inception was -19.51%, which is greater than DFSMX's maximum drawdown of -2.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VPAIX and DFSMX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VPAIX | DFSMX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.51% | -2.66% | -16.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.20% | -0.39% | -4.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.76% | -1.67% | -14.09% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -15.76% | -1.69% | -14.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.82% | -0.06% | -2.76% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.16% | -0.24% | -1.92% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.68% | 0.10% | +1.58% |
Volatility
VPAIX vs. DFSMX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VPAIX) has a higher volatility of 1.17% compared to DFA Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFSMX) at 0.11%. This indicates that VPAIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFSMX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VPAIX | DFSMX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.17% | 0.11% | +1.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.82% | 0.37% | +1.45% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.33% | 0.68% | +4.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.45% | 0.78% | +3.67% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.39% | 0.77% | +3.62% |