Fee-conscious investors and income seekers face distinct trade-offs as these two REIT ETFs diverge in structure and strategy.Schwab U.S. REIT ETF (SCHH +0.26%) stands out for its lower cost and larger asset base, while the State Street SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF (RWR +0.32%) delivers a higher yield and has outperformed slightly over the past five years.Both SCHH and RWR are designed to provide investors with exposure to U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs), but they employ different approaches in terms o ...

Core Insights - Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) is distinguished by its lower expense ratio, broader mix of holdings, and significantly larger assets under management compared to State Street SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF (RWR) [2][4] - Both VNQ and RWR aim to provide investors with access to U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs), but they differ in cost structure, portfolio breadth, and liquidity [3] Cost & Size Comparison - VNQ has an expense ratio of 0.13%, while RWR has a higher expense ratio of 0.25% - As of December 18, 2025, VNQ has $65.4 billion in assets under management (AUM), compared to RWR's $1.71 billion [4][5] Performance & Risk Analysis - Over the past five years, RWR experienced a maximum drawdown of 32.58%, while VNQ had a drawdown of 34.48% - A $1,000 investment in RWR would have grown to $1,151, whereas the same investment in VNQ would have grown to $1,047 [6] Portfolio Composition - VNQ holds 158 stocks, with 98% in real estate, 1% in communication services, and 1% in cash or other assets, including top positions like Welltower, Prologis, and American Tower [7] - RWR is more narrowly focused with 102 companies, all classified as real estate, including similar top holdings as VNQ [8] Investment Implications - VNQ is designed as a large, liquid core holding with a low-fee structure, making it suitable for long-term allocations, while RWR follows a narrower REIT-only index [10]