VUSUX vs. DFFGX

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

VUSUX (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and DFFGX (DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio) are both Government Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX returned -1.70%/yr vs 1.23%/yr for DFFGX. Their 0.55 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VUSUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for DFFGX.

Performance

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) and DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSUX achieves a -3.34% return, which is significantly lower than DFFGX's 1.79% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX has underperformed DFFGX with an annualized return of -1.70%, while DFFGX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.23% annualized return.

VUSUX

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -3.33%
• 6M: -2.97%
• YTD: -3.34%
• 1Y: -1.80%
• 3Y*: -0.01%
• 5Y*: -7.22%
• 10Y*: -1.70%
• ALL TIME*: 3.62%

DFFGX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.20%
• 6M: 1.48%
• YTD: 1.79%
• 1Y: 3.41%
• 3Y*: 4.09%
• 5Y*: 1.81%
• 10Y*: 1.23%
• ALL TIME*: 24.60%

*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)
DFFGX DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares	-3.34%	5.66%	-6.30%	3.43%	-29.51%	-4.71%	18.10%	14.26%	-1.80%	8.72%
DFFGX DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio	1.79%	3.12%	5.29%	5.01%	-4.41%	-1.27%	0.39%	2.52%	1.17%	0.51%

Correlation

The correlation between VUSUX and DFFGX is 0.28, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.28
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.09
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.30
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.37
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2001	0.55

Over the past year, the correlation between VUSUX and DFFGX has dropped to 0.28 - well below their long-term average of 0.55, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

VUSUX vs. DFFGX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSUX

VUSUX Risk / Return Rank: 2
VUSUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
VUSUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
VUSUX Omega Ratio Rank: 2
VUSUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
VUSUX Martin Ratio Rank: 2

DFFGX

DFFGX Risk / Return Rank: 99
DFFGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
DFFGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
DFFGX Omega Ratio Rank: 99
DFFGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
DFFGX Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) and DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX). 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.

	VUSUX	DFFGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.18	4.37	-4.55
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.20	7.76	-7.95
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.98	3.47	-2.49
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.21	11.83	-12.04
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.47	74.15	-74.62

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSUX Sharpe Ratio is -0.18, which is lower than the DFFGX Sharpe Ratio of 4.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSUX and DFFGX, 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

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSUX drawdown since its inception was -46.12%, which is greater than DFFGX's maximum drawdown of -6.49%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSUX and DFFGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSUX	DFFGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.12%	-6.49%	-39.63%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.42%	-0.30%	-7.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.56%	-1.19%	-12.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.34%	-6.31%	-35.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.12%	-6.49%	-39.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-38.12%	0.00%	-38.12%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.70%	-0.76%	-10.94%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.29%	0.05%	+3.24%

Volatility

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) has a higher volatility of 2.32% compared to DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX) at 0.32%. This indicates that VUSUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFFGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSUX	DFFGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.32%	0.32%	+2.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.42%	0.70%	+5.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.45%	0.81%	+7.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.50%	1.84%	+12.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.69%	1.55%	+12.14%

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than DFFGX's 0.18% 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

VUSUX vs. DFFGX - Dividend Comparison

VUSUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.35%, more than DFFGX's 3.77% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFFGX DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio	3.77%	2.98%	4.87%	3.57%	1.85%	0.15%	0.29%	1.83%	1.53%	1.18%	0.99%	1.27%
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares	4.35%	4.39%	4.15%	3.43%	3.05%	4.46%	10.28%	2.92%	2.91%	2.74%	5.38%	5.62%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUSUX and DFFGX in my portfolio?

VUSUX and DFFGX have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VUSUX or DFFGX?

VUSUX has higher volatility (2.32%) compared to DFFGX (0.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VUSUX dropped -46.12% vs DFFGX's -6.49%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DFFGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.37 vs -0.18), 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.