VTI vs. VTHRX
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and VTHRX (Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund) are both funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while VTHRX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VTI returned 14.84%/yr vs 8.58%/yr for VTHRX. With a 0.96 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for VTHRX.
Performance
VTI vs. VTHRX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 9.05% return, which is significantly higher than VTHRX's 5.62% return. Over the past 10 years, VTI has outperformed VTHRX with an annualized return of 14.84%, while VTHRX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.58% annualized return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- 0.44%
- YTD
- 9.05%
- 6M
- 8.94%
- 1Y
- 24.96%
- 3Y*
- 21.05%
- 5Y*
- 12.25%
- 10Y*
- 14.84%
VTHRX
- 1D
- -1.95%
- 1M
- -0.67%
- YTD
- 5.62%
- 6M
- 6.29%
- 1Y
- 16.54%
- 3Y*
- 13.56%
- 5Y*
- 6.47%
- 10Y*
- 8.58%
VTI vs. VTHRX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.05% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
VTHRX Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund | 5.62% | 16.25% | 10.43% | 16.24% | -16.28% | 11.37% | 14.11% | 21.08% | -5.85% | 15.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and VTHRX is 0.95, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 8, 2006 | 0.96 |
The correlation between VTI and VTHRX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.96 - a consistent structural relationship.
VTI vs. VTHRX - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
VTI
VTHRX
Technology
Financial Services
Communication Services
Consumer Cyclical
Industrials
Healthcare
Consumer Defensive
Energy
Real Estate
Utilities
Basic Materials
Technology
VTI
VTHRX
Financial Services
VTI
VTHRX
Communication Services
VTI
VTHRX
Consumer Cyclical
VTI
VTHRX
Industrials
VTI
VTHRX
Healthcare
VTI
VTHRX
Consumer Defensive
VTI
VTHRX
Energy
VTI
VTHRX
Real Estate
VTI
VTHRX
Utilities
VTI
VTHRX
Basic Materials
VTI
VTHRX
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. VTHRX — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
VTHRX
VTI vs. VTHRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund (VTHRX). 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 | VTHRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.38 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.81 | 2.59 | +0.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.85 | 11.30 | +1.54 |
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 | VTHRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.02 | 2.04 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.71 | 0.62 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 | 0.76 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.50 | +0.01 |
Drawdowns
VTI vs. VTHRX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, which is greater than VTHRX's maximum drawdown of -49.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and VTHRX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | VTHRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -49.57% | -5.88% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -6.56% | -2.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -9.64% | -9.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -22.75% | -2.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | -24.86% | -10.14% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.64% | -2.25% | -0.39% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -6.18% | -1.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.95% | 1.50% | +0.45% |
Volatility
VTI vs. VTHRX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) has a higher volatility of 3.88% compared to Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund (VTHRX) at 3.07%. This indicates that VTI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTHRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | VTHRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 3.07% | +0.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.55% | 6.85% | +2.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.44% | 8.34% | +4.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.44% | 10.40% | +7.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.33% | 11.27% | +7.06% |
VTI vs. VTHRX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VTHRX's 0.08% 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
VTI vs. VTHRX - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, less than VTHRX's 3.82% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTHRX Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund | 3.82% | 4.03% | 3.63% | 2.59% | 2.53% | 17.56% | 2.56% | 2.38% | 2.71% | 0.06% | 2.38% | 3.72% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.03% | 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
With a correlation of 0.95, VTI and VTHRX 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.
VTI has higher volatility (3.88%) compared to VTHRX (3.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs VTHRX's -49.57%.
VTHRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 2.02), 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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