VNQ vs VTI — 20-Year Performance Comparison
Real Estate (REIT) vs Total US Market — backtested 2005–2024
VTI wins$70,668 vs $37,027 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 won9 of 20
VTITotal US Market
Final value$70,668
CAGR+10.3%
Max drawdown-37.0%
Best year+34% (2013)
Years won11 of 20
Growth of $10,000
2005–2024VNQVTI
VNQ$37,027
VTI$70,668
50/50 mix$53,297
50/50 blend: $53,297 (+8.7%/yr CAGR)
Splitting equally between VNQ and VTI would have landed between the two — slightly lower CAGR than VTI but less volatility. Try a custom split →
Year-by-year: VNQ vs VTI
| Year | VNQ | VTI | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +4.8% | +23.8% | VTI |
| 2023 | +11.8% | +26.1% | VTI |
| 2022 | -26.2% | -19.5% | VTI |
| 2021 | +40.5% | +25.7% | VNQ |
| 2020 | -4.7% | +21.1% | VTI |
| 2019 | +28.9% | +30.7% | VTI |
| 2018 | -6.0% | -5.2% | VTI |
| 2017 | +4.9% | +21.2% | VTI |
| 2016 | +8.6% | +12.7% | VTI |
| 2015 | +2.4% | +0.4% | VNQ |
| 2014 | +30.4% | +12.6% | VNQ |
| 2013 | +2.3% | +33.5% | VTI |
| 2012 | +17.6% | +16.4% | VNQ |
| 2011 | +8.6% | +1.1% | VNQ |
| 2010 | +28.4% | +17.3% | VNQ |
| 2009 | +30.1% | +28.8% | VNQ |
| 2008 | -37.0% | -37.0% | VTI |
| 2007 | -16.3% | +5.5% | VTI |
| 2006 | +35.2% | +15.7% | VNQ |
| 2005 | +11.6% | +5.9% | VNQ |
More comparisons
Build your portfolio
Mix VNQ + VTI 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.