VNQ vs XLI — 20-Year Performance Comparison
Real Estate (REIT) vs Industrials — backtested 2005–2024
XLI wins$62,827 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 won11 of 20
XLIIndustrials
Final value$62,827
CAGR+9.6%
Max drawdown-39.9%
Best year+41% (2013)
Years won9 of 20
Growth of $10,000
2005–2024VNQXLI
VNQ$37,027
XLI$62,827
50/50 mix$50,848
50/50 blend: $50,848 (+8.5%/yr CAGR)
Splitting equally between VNQ and XLI would have landed between the two — slightly lower CAGR than XLI but less volatility. Try a custom split →
Year-by-year: VNQ vs XLI
| Year | VNQ | XLI | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +4.8% | +17.5% | XLI |
| 2023 | +11.8% | +18.0% | XLI |
| 2022 | -26.2% | -5.9% | XLI |
| 2021 | +40.5% | +21.1% | VNQ |
| 2020 | -4.7% | +11.5% | XLI |
| 2019 | +28.9% | +29.4% | XLI |
| 2018 | -6.0% | -14.7% | VNQ |
| 2017 | +4.9% | +21.0% | XLI |
| 2016 | +8.6% | +18.9% | XLI |
| 2015 | +2.4% | -2.5% | VNQ |
| 2014 | +30.4% | +9.9% | VNQ |
| 2013 | +2.3% | +40.7% | XLI |
| 2012 | +17.6% | +15.3% | VNQ |
| 2011 | +8.6% | -0.6% | VNQ |
| 2010 | +28.4% | +26.8% | VNQ |
| 2009 | +30.1% | +20.9% | VNQ |
| 2008 | -37.0% | -39.9% | VNQ |
| 2007 | -16.3% | +12.2% | XLI |
| 2006 | +35.2% | +14.3% | VNQ |
| 2005 | +11.6% | +10.0% | VNQ |
More comparisons
Build your portfolio
Mix VNQ + XLI 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.