VNQvsDFARETF Comparison
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Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) and Dimensional US Real Estate ETF (DFAR) belong to the same industry segment: US Real Estate. VNQ's top 3 sector exposures are Finance, Technology and Consumer Services. In contrast, DFAR's top sector exposures are Finance, VNQ is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.13%, versus 0.19% for DFAR. VNQ is up 16.19% year-to-date (YTD) with +$1.32B in YTD flows. DFAR performs better with 17.96% YTD performance, and +$97M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of VNQ and DFAR below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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VNQ vs DFAR performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 07/24/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VNQ DFAR | +3.96%+1.99% | +6.73%+5.82% | +16.19%+17.96% | +14.19%+14.78% | +30.67%+31.07% | +15.35%n/a |
| Flows | VNQ DFAR | +$252M+$11M | +$1.13B+$21M | +$1.32B+$97M | +$1.83B+$198M | +$949M+$779M | -$202M- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | VNQ DFAR | +16.06%+15.09% | +14.11%+13.86% | +16.82%+16.67% | +18.87%n/a |
| Max drawdown | VNQ DFAR | -3.31%-3.22% | -8.32%-8.39% | -17.41%-17.73% | -34.43%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | VNQ DFAR | 16d13d | 44d44d | 141d514d | 1621dn/a |
Trading data
VNQ | DFAR | |
Last sale 7/24/2026 at 1:30 PM | $100.81 | $27.40 |
| Previous close 07/23/2026 | $98.69 | $26.83 |
| Consolidated volume 07/23/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of June 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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DFAR
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexVNQ | DFAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 7/24/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
VNQ | DFAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $100.81 | $27.40 |
| 1D performance | +2.15% | +2.12% |
| AuM | $39.97 B | $1.78 B |
| E/R | 0.13% | 0.19% |
Characteristics
VNQ | DFAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Active |
| Provider | Vanguard | Dimensional |
| Benchmark | MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index | - |
| N° of holdings | 141 | 126 |
| Asset class | Equities | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 23, 2004 | February 23, 2022 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
VNQ
USA
98.47%
Other
1.53%
DFAR
USA
99.8%
Other
0.2%
Sectors
VNQ
Finance
97.54%
Other
2.46%
DFAR
Finance
99.8%
Other
0.2%
Diversification
VNQ
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
58.09%
DFAR
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
58.1%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
VNQ
Welltower, Inc.
9.78%
Prologis, Inc.
7.79%
Equinix, Inc.
6.34%
American Tower Corp.
4.70%
Simon Property Group, Inc.
4.48%
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
3.81%
Realty Income Corp.
3.54%
Public Storage
3.05%
Ventas, Inc.
2.61%
CBRE Group, Inc.
2.45%
Iron Mountain, Inc.
2.32%
Crown Castle, Inc.
2.04%
Extra Space Storage, Inc.
1.89%
VICI Properties, Inc.
1.65%
AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
1.62%
DFAR
Welltower, Inc.
7.84%
Prologis, Inc.
6.37%
Equinix, Inc.
5.31%
Simon Property Group, Inc.
4.73%
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
4.56%
Realty Income Corp.
4.42%
American Tower Corp.
3.91%
Public Storage
3.85%
Ventas, Inc.
3.26%
Iron Mountain, Inc.
2.92%
Crown Castle, Inc.
2.57%
Extra Space Storage, Inc.
2.34%
VICI Properties, Inc.
2.22%
AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
2.02%
Equity Residential
1.78%
Frequently asked questions about VNQ and DFAR
How have the VNQ and DFAR ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 24, 2026, VNQ is up 16.19% year-to-date (YTD), while DFAR has returned 17.96%. That puts DFAR better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: VNQ or DFAR?
Year-to-date, the VNQ ETF saw +$1.32B in flows, compared to +$97M for DFAR.
Which ETF is more volatile: VNQ or DFAR?
Over the past year, VNQ had a volatility of 14.11%, while DFAR experienced 13.86%.
Which ETF is bigger: VNQ or DFAR?
As of July 24, 2026, VNQ holds $39.97 B in assets under management (AUM), while DFAR manages $1.78 B.
What sectors do the VNQ and DFAR ETFs invest in?
VNQ leans toward sectors like Finance. Meanwhile, DFAR focuses on Finance.
What are the top holdings of the VNQ ETF and DFAR ETF?
VNQ top holdings include Welltower, Inc., Prologis, Inc. and Equinix, Inc.. DFAR holds in its top three: Welltower, Inc., Prologis, Inc. and Equinix, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: VNQ or DFAR?
VNQ holds 142 securities with 58.09% of its assets in the top 15. DFAR has 126 securities and a top 15 weight of 58.1%.
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