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VHT vs DIA: which was the better investment?

Vanguard Health Care ETF against SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jan 30, 2004 to Jul 15, 2026.

VHTthe Dow (DIA)
22 years of daily dataDividends reinvestedUpdated daily

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VHTVanguard Health Care ETF
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Frequently asked questions

Did VHT beat DIA?

It was effectively a tie over the full overlap period (Jan 30, 2004 to Jul 15, 2026): $10,000 grew to $80,845 in VHT and $82,218 in DIA, a difference of under 2%.

What would $10,000 in VHT be worth today?

$10,000 invested in Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) on Jan 30, 2004 would be worth about $80,845 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 708.5% (9.8% per year). The same $10,000 in DIA would be worth $82,218.

Which was riskier — VHT or DIA?

VHT swung with an annualized volatility of 16.9% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -39.1%; DIA ran at 17.8% volatility with a -51.9% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.46 for VHT vs 0.44 for DIA.

What data is this comparison based on?

Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jan 30, 2004 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.

Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?

Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with VHT vs DIA. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.