VNQ vs EFA — 20-Year Performance Comparison
Real Estate (REIT) vs International Developed — backtested 2005–2024
VNQ wins$37,027 vs $25,036 on $10,000 over 20 years
VNQReal Estate (REIT)
Final value$37,027
CAGR+6.8%
Max drawdown-47.3%
Best year+41% (2021)
Years won12 of 20
EFAInternational Developed
Final value$25,036
CAGR+4.7%
Max drawdown-41.0%
Best year+27% (2009)
Years won8 of 20
Growth of $10,000
2005–2024VNQEFA
VNQ$37,027
EFA$25,036
50/50 mix$32,159
50/50 blend: $32,159 (+6.0%/yr CAGR)
Splitting equally between VNQ and EFA would have landed between the two — slightly lower CAGR than VNQ but less volatility. Try a custom split →
Year-by-year: VNQ vs EFA
| Year | VNQ | EFA | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +4.8% | +3.5% | VNQ |
| 2023 | +11.8% | +18.4% | EFA |
| 2022 | -26.2% | -14.4% | EFA |
| 2021 | +40.5% | +11.4% | VNQ |
| 2020 | -4.7% | +7.6% | EFA |
| 2019 | +28.9% | +22.0% | VNQ |
| 2018 | -6.0% | -13.8% | VNQ |
| 2017 | +4.9% | +25.1% | EFA |
| 2016 | +8.6% | +1.4% | VNQ |
| 2015 | +2.4% | -1.0% | VNQ |
| 2014 | +30.4% | -6.2% | VNQ |
| 2013 | +2.3% | +21.4% | EFA |
| 2012 | +17.6% | +18.8% | EFA |
| 2011 | +8.6% | -12.2% | VNQ |
| 2010 | +28.4% | +8.2% | VNQ |
| 2009 | +30.1% | +27.0% | VNQ |
| 2008 | -37.0% | -41.0% | VNQ |
| 2007 | -16.3% | +9.9% | EFA |
| 2006 | +35.2% | +25.8% | VNQ |
| 2005 | +11.6% | +13.3% | EFA |
More comparisons
Build your portfolio
Mix VNQ + EFA with custom allocations
Try a 70/30 or 40/60 split — or add up to 3 more ETFs. See exactly how your custom portfolio would have performed.
Open Portfolio Builder →Past performance does not guarantee future results.