ETF Versus

DGRO vs IYR

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF vs iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

DGRO iShares

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.10%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $36.8B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.10% Since: Jun 10, 2014
IYR iShares

iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate companies. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.38%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $3.9B ER: 0.38% Yield: 2.37% Since: Jun 12, 2000

Quick Verdict

DGRO is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.38% expense ratio, saving you approximately $588 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, DGRO has significantly outperformed with a 13.9% return vs -1.0%.

Key Metrics

Metric DGRO IYR
Expense Ratio 0.08% 0.38%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 2.4%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend US Real Estate

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

75 91 107 123 139 155 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
DGRO +42.9%
IYR +1.0%

Performance Comparison

Period DGRO IYR Difference
1 Month -4.90% -6.56% +1.66%
3 Months +0.57% +0.95% -0.38%
6 Months +2.36% -2.23% +4.59%
YTD +0.57% +0.95% -0.38%
1 Year +13.94% -0.97% +14.91%
3 Years +39.53% +12.64% +26.89%
5 Years +42.86% +0.99% +41.87%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period DGRO Fees IYR Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $159 $748 $588
$10.000 20 years $686 $3.173 $2.487
$10.000 30 years $2.212 $10.097 $7.885
$50.000 10 years $797 $3.739 $2.942
$50.000 30 years $11.061 $50.486 $39.424
$100.000 30 years $22.123 $100.972 $78.849

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric DGRO IYR
Annualized Volatility 13.9% 18.8%
Max Drawdown -20.7% -36.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.26 -0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric DGRO IYR
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.47 $2.25
Dividend Yield 2.10% 2.37%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

DGRO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM3.43%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.94%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM2.93%
Apple Inc.AAPL2.87%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT2.71%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV2.67%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO2.49%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG2.14%
Philip Morris International Inc.PM2.05%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK2.05%

IYR Top Holdings

NameWeight
Welltower Inc.WELL10.03%
Prologis, Inc.PLD9.11%
Equinix, Inc.EQIX4.68%
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.DLR4.59%
Simon Property Group, Inc.SPG4.50%
Realty Income CorporationO4.44%
American Tower CorporationAMT4.39%
Public StoragePSA3.40%
Ventas, Inc.VTR3.15%
CBRE Group, Inc.CBRE3.10%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose DGRO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose DGRO if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Related Comparisons