VSCSX vs. VAIPX
VSCSX (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VAIPX (Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VSCSX is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, while VAIPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VSCSX returned 2.64%/yr vs 2.38%/yr for VAIPX. Their 0.71 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VSCSX charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VAIPX.
Performance
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VSCSX achieves a 0.84% return, which is significantly higher than VAIPX's 0.54% return. Over the past 10 years, VSCSX has outperformed VAIPX with an annualized return of 2.64%, while VAIPX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.38% annualized return.
VSCSX
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- -0.09%
- 6M
- 0.47%
- YTD
- 0.84%
- 1Y
- 3.13%
- 3Y*
- 5.51%
- 5Y*
- 2.36%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.89%
VAIPX
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.39%
- 6M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- 0.54%
- 1Y
- 1.95%
- 3Y*
- 3.66%
- 5Y*
- 0.29%
- 10Y*
- 2.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.94%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSCSX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.84% | 6.75% | 5.36% | 6.11% | -5.72% | -0.43% | 5.06% | 6.85% | 0.88% | 2.46% |
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 0.54% | 6.87% | 1.85% | 3.83% | -11.92% | 5.69% | 10.96% | 8.16% | -1.39% | 2.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between VSCSX and VAIPX is 0.76, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.76 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.76 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.71 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 19, 2009 | 0.71 |
The correlation between VSCSX and VAIPX shifts across timeframes, from 0.71 (all time) to 0.83 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VSCSX vs. VAIPX — Risk / Return Rank
VSCSX
VAIPX
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSCSX) and Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX). 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.
| VSCSX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.32 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.13 | +0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.69 | 1.19 | +1.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.30 | 3.37 | +6.93 |
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Drawdowns
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSCSX drawdown since its inception was -9.36%, smaller than the maximum VAIPX drawdown of -15.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSCSX and VAIPX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSCSX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.36% | -15.04% | +5.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.36% | -2.05% | +0.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.36% | -3.83% | +2.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.36% | -14.40% | +5.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.36% | -14.40% | +5.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.23% | -1.18% | +0.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.97% | -3.79% | +2.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.72% | -0.36% |
Volatility
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSCSX) is 0.51%, while Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX) has a volatility of 0.75%. This indicates that VSCSX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VAIPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VSCSX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.51% | 0.75% | -0.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.43% | 2.50% | -1.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.79% | 3.33% | -1.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.73% | 5.97% | -3.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.37% | 5.31% | -2.94% |
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VSCSX has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than VAIPX's 0.10% 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
VSCSX vs. VAIPX - Dividend Comparison
VSCSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.05%, less than VAIPX's 5.07% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 5.07% | 4.74% | 4.17% | 4.31% | 8.45% | 5.13% | 1.38% | 2.29% | 3.12% | 2.41% | 3.49% | 0.88% |
VSCSX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.05% | 4.32% | 4.27% | 3.07% | 1.98% | 1.78% | 2.25% | 2.85% | 2.66% | 2.26% | 1.93% | 2.21% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VSCSX and VAIPX have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VAIPX has higher volatility (0.75%) compared to VSCSX (0.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSCSX dropped -9.36% vs VAIPX's -15.04%.
VSCSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 0.74), 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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