MIY vs SPY

MIY vs SPY

Which is better, MIY or SPY?

Municipal Michigan against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns: SPY

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMIYSPY
Expense Ratio1.44%0.09%Best
AUM$345M$804.7B
Dividend Yield5.45%0.98%
Holdings145505
YTD Return+7.74%+12.09%Best
1Y Return+11.96%+16.29%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+10.62%+21.20%Best
5Y Return (annualized)-0.23%+13.37%Best
Volatility (annualized)11.8%Best15.3%
Max Drawdown-53.7%Best-56.5%
$10,000 over 5 years$9,886$18,728Best
Fund FamilyBlackRock, Inc. (US)State Street Investment Management
CategoryTax PreferredEquity
StyleMunicipal MichiganLarge Cap Blend
InceptionOct 30, 1992Jan 22, 1993

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 2, 1996 to Sep 18, 2026 (30.7 years).

MIY vs SPY growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

MIY vs SPY Performance

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc (MIY) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year MIY returned +11.96% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, MIY is up 7.74% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.

Over three years, MIY compounded at +10.62% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -0.23% and +13.37% respectively. Across the full 31-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +8.77% annualized vs +0.52%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.3% compared with 11.8% for MIY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -53.7% for MIY and -56.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.19. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MIY charges 1.44% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $144 vs $9 annually, a gap of $135 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MIY currently yields 5.45% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 39 holdings in MIY and 504 in SPY, totalling 52.4% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

The two holdings books were reported 213 days apart, MIY as of Jan 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

0 positions in common, counted across the 39 positions we hold weights for in MIY and 504 in SPY, against full books of 145 and 505.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of MIY and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

MIYSPY

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MIY or SPY?

MIY has an expense ratio of 1.44% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $135 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MIY or SPY?

Over the past year MIY returned +11.96% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (31 years), MIY annualized +0.52% vs +8.77% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MIY or SPY?

SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.3% annualized versus 11.8% for MIY. Worst drawdown: MIY -53.7% vs SPY -56.5%.

Should I hold both MIY and SPY?

MIY and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.19, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, MIY or SPY?

MIY yields 5.45% while SPY yields 0.98%, so MIY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than MIY?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.