Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.
Total returns
100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.
IYH has lagged VHT over the trailing twelve months, posting a 19.69% total return against 20.36%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VHT has compounded at 10.76% a year, against 10.53% for IYH. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.
Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 9, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Jan 2004” measures every fund from January 30, 2004 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.
Side-by-side snapshot
Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric;
each column is one fund.
Bottom lineIYH and VHT are both for investors who want broad equity exposure — so strategy isn't the deciding factor here. Cost is: VHT charges 0.09% against 0.37% for IYH, and between two funds this similar that gap comes straight out of your return every year you hold.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
iShares, operated by BlackRock, is one of the largest and most established ETF providers globally, known for offering broad, liquid index-tracking funds across nearly all asset classes and investment styles. The lineup encompasses a comprehensive range of strategies including core equity and bond exposure, dividend and income-focused funds, covered call strategies, ESG and thematic investments, factor-based approaches, alternatives, commodities, and municipal bonds, serving both individual and institutional investors. With numerous popular ticker symbols and extensive diversification across geographies, sectors, and investment objectives, iShares provides one of the market's widest selections of ETFs for building diversified portfolios.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on IYH.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
Vanguard is one of the largest and most established ETF issuers, known for low-cost, broadly diversified fund offerings built on passive indexing principles. Their lineup spans multiple asset classes and strategies, including core equity and bond index funds, dividend-focused portfolios, ESG-screened options, factor-based strategies, sector exposure, target-date retirement funds, and international investments across developed and emerging markets. The platform is characterized by its emphasis on accessibility and cost efficiency across a comprehensive range of fund families, serving both individual investors seeking broad market exposure and those pursuing specific income, sustainability, or thematic objectives.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on VHT.
IYH (iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF) and VHT (Vanguard Health Care ETF) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.
VHT offers the higher yield at 1.23% vs 1.08% for IYH. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.
VHT is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.09% compared to 0.37%.
They have different reference exposures: IYH is linked to Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index while VHT is linked to MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.
VHT is the larger fund by assets ($19.3B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.
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On a $10,000 investment, IYH would generate roughly $27.00 cash per distribution, while VHT would produce $30.75 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.
IYH yield1.08%
VHT yield1.23%
Cash diff on $10K$3.75
Cost & efficiency
Over 10 years on $10,000, IYH would cost approximately $370 in fees vs $90 for VHT (simplified, not compounded). The $280.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.
IYH ER0.37%
VHT ER0.09%
Strategy & risk
IYH tracks Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index, while VHT tracks MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. Beta is 0.54 for IYH and 0.58 for VHT — effectively similar market sensitivity.
IYH beta0.54
VHT beta0.58
Fund details
IYH is managed by iShares (launched 06/12/2000) with $3.91B in assets. VHT is managed by Vanguard (launched 01/26/2004) with $19.3B in assets.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the current distribution rate for IYH and VHT?
IYH currently distributes 1.08% and VHT 1.23%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.
Is IYH or VHT better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VHT currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.
What is the difference between IYH and VHT?
IYH (iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Health Care Index, while VHT (Vanguard Health Care ETF) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. They are issued by iShares and Vanguard respectively.
Can I hold both IYH and VHT?
Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.
Is IYH or VHT safer?
By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: IYH scores 100, VHT scores 100. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee.
Which has lower fees, IYH or VHT?
IYH has an expense ratio of 0.37% while VHT charges 0.09%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.
How much income does $10,000 in IYH vs VHT generate?
At current rates, $10,000 in IYH would generate roughly $27.00 cash per distribution ($108.00 annually). The same in VHT would produce about $30.75 cash per distribution ($123.00 annually).
Which has performed better historically, IYH or VHT?
IYH has lagged VHT over the trailing twelve months, posting a 19.69% total return against 20.36%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: VHT has compounded at 10.76% a year, against 10.53% for IYH. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Explore related screeners
Lateral filters that include these funds — browse the full peer set on DividendVision.
IYH and VHT are both healthcare sector ETFs that track different indexes of U.S. health care stocks. IYH follows the Dow Jones U.S. The funds differ meaningfully in cost, scale, and index construction — VHT is cheaper and larger, while IYH has been running 4 years longer. On yield, VHT distributes 1.23% against IYH's 1.08%, a modest advantage that may reflect VHT's broader index exposure (MSCI Investable Market vs. Dow Jones), though both pay quarterly. Beta is nearly identical at 0.54 for IYH and 0.58 for VHT, meaning both move roughly in lockstep with broader market swings in healthcare.
Who each is best for
IYH: Fits investors who value a longer track record (inception 06/12/2000) and are comfortable with a midsize fund structure; the higher expense ratio is less of a constraint for buy-and-hold allocations.
Key risks to know
Index construction differences.IYH and VHT track distinct healthcare indexes, so their holdings overlap but diverge — VHT's MSCI Investable Market approach casts a wider net than the Dow Jones framework, which may concentrate IYH slightly toward larger names. You should review each index's methodology to confirm the fit for your healthcare sector view.
Sector concentration. Both ETFs are pure-play healthcare bets, so they move together in sector downturns and miss diversification benefits of a broad market fund. A prolonged healthcare sell-off — driven by drug pricing pressure, patent cliffs, or regulatory headwinds — would pressure both simultaneously.
Low current yield in context. Distributions of 1.08% and 1.23% are modest relative to overall market yields; healthcare historically trades on growth and relative value, not income, so reinvestment of modest payouts matters more than the nominal payout rate itself. If you weight historical tenure or have a deliberate preference for Dow Jones-indexed healthcare exposure, IYH's 06/12/2000 inception date provides a longer data trail, though the fee difference will compound over time. Past performance does not predict future results.
AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.
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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.
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