RWR vs VNQ Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
RWR and VNQ both target us reit exposure but take different paths to get there — RWR via the Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT Index, and VNQ via the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index. The practical differences come down to issuer, cost structure, and the specific index rules each fund follows, since both are pursuing a similar investment outcome.
RWR vs VNQ is largely a question of which issuer and index methodology you trust more for us reit exposure — the underlying investment case is similar, so cost, liquidity, and tracking precision tend to be the deciding factors.
VNQ holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. RWR has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+13.11% vs +5.86% for VNQ).
- want an established, broad equity-REIT benchmark fund
- prefer State Street's approach and fund lineup
- value long track record as one of the original broad REIT ETFs
- are comfortable with higher expense ratio than newer, cheaper REIT index funds
- want the standard, most liquid core REIT holding
- prefer Vanguard's approach and fund lineup
- value largest and most liquid REIT ETF by assets
- are comfortable with highly sensitive to interest rate expectations
| Metric | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 47.0 | 40.0 |
| Latest closei | $108.92 | $93.81 |
| 1M returni | -4.00% | -3.90% |
| 6M returni | +6.69% | +4.43% |
| 1Y returni | +13.11% | +5.86% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.74K (+17.4%) started 2025-09-17 | $11K (+10.0%) started 2025-09-17 |
| 5Y ago | $14.4K (+44.0%) started 2021-09-17 | $13.19K (+31.9%) started 2021-09-17 |
| 10Y ago | $24.07K (+140.7%) started 2016-09-19 | $25.89K (+158.9%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.25% | 0.13% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.85B | $70.82B |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.38% | 3.60% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 30.85 | 29.37 |
| Betai | 0.97 | 0.98 |
| 52-week change | 13.11% | 5.86% |
| Metric | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +13.11% | +5.86% |
| 6M returni | +6.69% | +4.43% |
| 1M returni | -4.00% | -3.90% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.64 | 0.16 |
| Betai | 0.97 | 0.98 |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.38% | 3.60% |
| 5Y CAGR | +3.54% | +1.33% |
Over the past year, RWR and VNQ have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.97), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +13.11% | +5.86% |
| CAGRi | +13.12% | +5.86% | |
| Volatilityi | 13.76% | 13.54% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.64 | 0.16 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.91 | 0.22 | |
| Max drawdowni | 8.94% | 8.34% | |
| Current drawdowni | 8.62% | 7.07% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 2.18% | 2.27% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 3.02% | 2.94% | |
| Max daily dropi | 3.27% | 3.10% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 4.63% | 4.81% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +19.02% | +6.85% |
| CAGRi | +3.54% | +1.33% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.02% | 18.87% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.04 | -0.07 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.06 | -0.10 | |
| Max drawdowni | 32.58% | 34.48% | |
| Current drawdowni | 8.62% | 7.07% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 12.75% | 14.51% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 15.57% | 16.96% | |
| Max daily dropi | 5.13% | 5.00% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.91% | 12.07% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +59.75% | +61.54% |
| CAGRi | +4.80% | +4.92% | |
| Volatilityi | 21.53% | 20.70% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.12 | 0.12 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.16 | 0.16 | |
| Max drawdowni | 44.39% | 42.40% | |
| Current drawdowni | 8.62% | 7.07% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 10.23% | 10.38% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 13.77% | 13.72% | |
| Max daily dropi | 18.31% | 17.73% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 25.76% | 24.91% |
| Category | RWR | VNQ |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | State Street SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.25% | 0.13% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.85B | $70.82B |
| Dividend yieldi | 3.38% | 3.60% |
- Long track record as one of the original broad REIT ETFs
- Diversified across equity REIT property types
- Backed by State Street's SPDR indexing infrastructure
- Largest and most liquid REIT ETF by assets
- Broad diversification across REIT property sub-sectors
- Very low expense ratio for the category
- Higher expense ratio than newer, cheaper REIT index funds
- Rate sensitivity applies across the entire REIT category
- REIT dividends are taxed as ordinary income, not qualified
- Highly sensitive to interest rate expectations
- REIT dividends are taxed as ordinary income, not qualified
- Concentrated in a relatively small number of large REITs
Want deeper AI forecasts?
This comparison page is public and free forever. Subscribers can unlock saved watchlists, full AI rankings, detailed forecasts, and interactive analysis tools.