Statistics · 2026 · ETFs
Dividend & Bond ETF Statistics (2026)
Among the 8 dividend and bond ETFs WealthyBud tracks, dividend and equity-income funds posted a median 1-year return of 13.2%, while bond funds posted a median of -1.4%, as of 2026-07-10 — every one of the 5 tracked bond ETFs lost value over the trailing year. Vanguard’s own fact sheets put BND’s expense ratio at 0.03% and VIG’s at 0.04%, both as of March 31, 2026.
Key takeaways
- WealthyBud tracks 8 dividend and bond ETFs: 3 dividend/income funds (VIG, SCHD, JEPI) and 5 bond funds (HYG, AGG, BND, LQD, TLT), as of 2026-07-10.
- The median 1-year return for dividend/income ETFs is 13.2%, versus -1.4% for bond ETFs — every one of the 5 bond funds tracked lost value over the trailing year.
- SCHD (Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF) posted the best 1-year return in the group, 16.0%; TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) posted the weakest, -2.5%.
- Bond ETFs are markedly less volatile: a median annualized volatility of 7.6% versus 13.9% for dividend and income ETFs.
- AGG and BND tie for the cheapest bond ETF at 0.03%; HYG is the priciest at 0.49%.
- Per Vanguard’s own fact sheets, BND charges 0.03% against a 0.22% category-ETF average, and VIG charges 0.04% against a 0.47% average.
- U.S. bond ETFs held $2.2 trillion in net assets — 17% of the $13.4 trillion U.S. ETF market — at year-end 2025, up from $340 billion in 2015, per the Investment Company Institute’s 2026 Fact Book.
Which dividend and bond ETFs does WealthyBud track?
WealthyBud tracks 8 dividend, income and bond ETFs out of its 28-fund dataset: 3 dividend/income funds and 5 bond funds, from Vanguard, Schwab, JPMorgan and BlackRock, as of 2026-07-10.
1. 8 dividend, income and bond ETFs tracked
WealthyBud’s dataset includes 3 dividend/income ETFs (VIG, SCHD, JEPI) and 5 bond ETFs (HYG, AGG, BND, LQD, TLT), out of 28 tracked total, as of 2026-07-10 (WealthyBud data · 8 ETFs).
2. Four issuers represented: Vanguard, Schwab, JPMorgan and BlackRock
BlackRock (iShares) issues 4 of the bond funds (HYG, AGG, LQD, TLT); the other three issuers each contribute one fund (WealthyBud data · 2026-07-10).
| Ticker | Fund | Category | Issuer | Expense ratio | 1-yr return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | US dividend growth | Vanguard | 0.05% | 13.2% |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF | US dividend equity | Schwab | 0.06% | 16.0% |
| JEPI | JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF | US equity income | JPMorgan | 0.35% | -0.7% |
| HYG | iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | High-yield bonds | BlackRock | 0.49% | -1.4% |
| AGG | iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF | US total bond | BlackRock | 0.03% | -1.4% |
| BND | Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | US total bond | Vanguard | 0.03% | -1.4% |
| LQD | iShares iBoxx Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | IG corporate bonds | BlackRock | 0.14% | -2.1% |
| TLT | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Long-term Treasuries | BlackRock | 0.15% | -2.5% |
How do dividend ETF returns compare with bond ETF returns?
Dividend and equity-income ETFs posted a median 1-year return of 13.2%, while bond ETFs posted a median of -1.4%, as of 2026-07-10. The gap widens over longer horizons, reflecting the multi-year rate increases that hit bond prices.
3. Best 1-year return: SCHD at 16.0%
SCHD (Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF) posted the best 1-year return in the group as of 2026-07-10 (WealthyBud data).
4. Weakest 1-year return: TLT at -2.5%
TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) posted the weakest 1-year return — long-duration bonds are the most rate-sensitive (WealthyBud data).
5. 5 of 5 bond ETFs posted a negative 1-year return
Every bond fund tracked here lost value over the trailing year, from AGG at -1.4% to TLT at -2.5%, while 2 of 3 dividend/income funds gained (WealthyBud data · 2026-07-10).
6. Median 3-year annualized: 9.3% (dividend) vs. 0.4% (bond)
Over 3 years, dividend/income ETFs post a median annualized return of 9.3%, versus 0.4% for bond ETFs (WealthyBud data · 8 funds).
7. Median 5-year annualized: 4.6% (dividend) vs. -3.4% (bond)
Over 5 years the median bond-ETF return is negative at -3.4% annualized, while dividend/income ETFs post a positive 4.6% median (WealthyBud data · 2026-07-10).
8. Vanguard’s own numbers: BND 4.24% 1-year, VIG 12.72%
Vanguard’s BND fact sheet shows a 4.24% 1-year NAV return and its VIG fact sheet shows 12.72%, both as of March 31, 2026 — a different date and method than WealthyBud’s figures above, so small gaps are expected.
- TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) returned -2.5% over the trailing year.
- LQD (iShares iBoxx Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) returned -2.1% over the trailing year.
- HYG (iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) returned -1.4% over the trailing year.
- BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) returned -1.4% over the trailing year.
- AGG (iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF) returned -1.4% over the trailing year.
How volatile are bond ETFs compared with dividend ETFs?
Bond ETFs are meaningfully calmer than dividend and income ETFs. The median annualized volatility across 5 tracked bond funds is 7.6%, versus 13.9% across 3 dividend and equity-income funds (1.8× higher). Short-duration bond exposure like AGG and BND anchors the low end.
9. Median bond-ETF volatility: 7.6%
Across 5 tracked bond ETFs, annualized volatility (from monthly price moves) has a median of 7.6% as of 2026-07-10 (WealthyBud data · 5 funds).
10. Median dividend/income-ETF volatility: 13.9%
Across 3 tracked dividend and equity-income ETFs, median annualized volatility is 13.9%, roughly in line with the broad stock market (WealthyBud data · 3 funds).
11. Bond ETFs run about 1.8× calmer than dividend ETFs
The 7.6% median bond-ETF volatility is roughly 1.8 times lower than the 13.9% median for dividend and income funds — the core reason investors hold bonds for ballast, not growth (WealthyBud data · 2026-07-10).
Compare expense ratios and returns across every ETF WealthyBud tracks
Which dividend or bond ETF has the lowest expense ratio?
AGG and BND tie for the lowest expense ratio in this group at 0.03%; HYG is the priciest at 0.49%. The median across all 8 tracked funds is 0.10%.
12. Cheapest: AGG and BND tie at 0.03%
AGG and BND, both broad U.S. bond-index funds, charge the lowest expense ratio in this group as of 2026-07-10 (WealthyBud data).
13. Priciest: HYG at 0.49%
HYG (iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond ETF), a high-yield bond fund, carries the highest expense ratio in the group — junk-bond credit selection costs more to manage than a broad investment-grade index (WealthyBud data).
14. Median expense ratio across all 8 funds: 0.10%
Half of the 8 dividend and bond ETFs WealthyBud tracks charge 0.10% or less (WealthyBud data · 8 funds).
15. BND undercuts its category average by 0.19 points
Vanguard’s BND fact sheet lists a 0.22% average for core-bond ETFs versus BND’s own 0.03%, as of March 31, 2026.
16. VIG undercuts its category average by 0.43 points
Vanguard’s VIG fact sheet lists a 0.47% average for equity-income ETFs versus VIG’s own 0.04%, as of March 31, 2026.
| Fund | Fund expense ratio | Category average (all funds) | Category average (ETFs only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BND — Total Bond Market ETF | 0.03% | 0.62% | 0.22% |
| VIG — Dividend Appreciation ETF | 0.04% | 1.02% | 0.47% |
How is dividend and bond ETF income measured, and how big is the bond ETF market?
Bond and dividend ETF income is typically quoted as a 30-day SEC yield or trailing distribution yield, both of which change daily with prices and holdings. WealthyBud’s dataset does not track a live yield field, so this section reports verified issuer figures where available. Separately, U.S. bond ETFs held $2.2 trillion in net assets at year-end 2025, per the Investment Company Institute.
17. WealthyBud does not publish a computed yield figure
WealthyBud’s ETF dataset tracks returns, volatility and expense ratios, not a live yield field. Yield moves daily, so check the issuer’s fact sheet for a current number.
18. Vanguard’s BND pays monthly; VIG pays quarterly
BND distributes monthly and VIG quarterly, per their Vanguard fact sheets (March 31, 2026) — bond funds typically pay out more often than equity funds.
19. U.S. bond ETFs hold $2.2 trillion, 17% of the U.S. ETF market
Bond ETFs held $2.2 trillion of the $13.4 trillion U.S. ETF market at year-end 2025, per the Investment Company Institute’s 2026 Fact Book.
20. Bond ETF assets grew roughly 6.6× in a decade
U.S. bond ETF net assets grew from $340 billion in 2015 to $2,239 billion in 2025, per the same ICI Fact Book — investors leaned on bond ETFs for income and liquidity through the decade.
What this means for income-focused investors
Dividend and bond ETFs solve different problems. Funds like SCHD and VIG still carry equity-level volatility (13.9% median); core bond funds like AGG and BND trade that upside for a calmer ride (7.6% median) tied to rates, not earnings.
The last few years were unusually hard on bonds. Every bond ETF here posted a negative 1-year return, and long-duration TLT remains underwater over 3 and 5 years — though core funds like AGG and BND have clawed back to modestly positive 3-year returns. A reminder that “safe” and “rising in price” are not the same thing when rates move.
Cost discipline still separates the cheap core from the rest. AGG and BND charge 0.03%, well under Vanguard’s 0.22% category-ETF average for core bond funds — a gap that compounds over years of holding.
Check yield at the source. Because 30-day SEC yield moves daily, treat any figure you see quoted as a snapshot and confirm it against the issuer’s current fact sheet.