VTI vs. VGLT
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and VGLT (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while VGLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VTI returned 14.71%/yr vs -1.11%/yr for VGLT. At a correlation of -0.24, they often move in opposite directions. Both charge a 0.03% expense ratio.
Performance
VTI vs. VGLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 8.72% return, which is significantly higher than VGLT's -0.75% return. Over the past 10 years, VTI has outperformed VGLT with an annualized return of 14.71%, while VGLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.11% annualized return.
VTI
- 1D
- -2.68%
- 1M
- 0.88%
- YTD
- 8.72%
- 6M
- 8.29%
- 1Y
- 24.59%
- 3Y*
- 21.08%
- 5Y*
- 12.19%
- 10Y*
- 14.71%
VGLT
- 1D
- -0.59%
- 1M
- -0.43%
- YTD
- -0.75%
- 6M
- -1.12%
- 1Y
- 4.58%
- 3Y*
- -0.93%
- 5Y*
- -5.37%
- 10Y*
- -1.11%
VTI vs. VGLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 8.72% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | -0.75% | 5.35% | -6.28% | 3.27% | -29.34% | -4.98% | 17.57% | 14.30% | -1.54% | 8.64% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and VGLT is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 25, 2009 | -0.24 |
The correlation between VTI and VGLT shifts across timeframes, from -0.24 (all time) to 0.24 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. VGLT — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
VGLT
VTI vs. VGLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT). 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.
| VTI | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 1.07 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.93 | 0.47 | +2.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.45 | 1.22 | +12.23 |
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
| VTI | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.10 | 0.38 | +1.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | -0.37 | +1.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 | -0.08 | +0.89 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.18 | +0.32 |
Drawdowns
VTI vs. VGLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, which is greater than VGLT's maximum drawdown of -46.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and VGLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -46.18% | -9.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -7.01% | -1.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -17.68% | -1.62% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -40.98% | +15.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | -46.18% | +11.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.93% | -37.05% | +34.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -15.07% | +7.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.94% | 2.71% | -0.77% |
Volatility
VTI vs. VGLT - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) has a higher volatility of 3.90% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) at 2.50%. This indicates that VTI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.90% | 2.50% | +1.40% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.55% | 5.97% | +3.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.48% | 8.77% | +3.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.44% | 14.56% | +2.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.32% | 13.81% | +4.51% |
VTI vs. VGLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VTI and VGLT have an expense ratio of 0.03%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VTI vs. VGLT - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, less than VGLT's 4.63% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | 4.63% | 4.44% | 4.33% | 3.33% | 2.84% | 1.82% | 2.15% | 2.46% | 2.71% | 2.55% | 2.69% | 3.21% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.04% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and VGLT have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTI has higher volatility (3.90%) compared to VGLT (2.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs VGLT's -46.18%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 14.71% vs -1.11% for VGLT. Both ETFs have the same 0.03% expense ratio. On volatility, VGLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 14.71% return vs -1.11%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI and VGLT have the same expense ratio: 0.03% per year.
VGLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.63%, compared with 1.04% for VTI.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while VGLT is Government Bonds. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while VGLT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.10 vs 0.38), 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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