Mortgage rates, month by month
The 30-year fixed averaged 6.58% in the week of July 23, 2026. Here is how that compares with the last five years, and with every year since 1971.
30-year fixed
6.58%
A year ago 6.75%. Past year 5.98–6.72%.
15-year fixed
5.96%
A year ago 5.92%. Past year 5.35–5.96%.
30-year, actually locked
6.68%
A year ago 6.73%. Past year 6.33–6.68%.
Week of July 23, 2026. Optimal Blue is a daily index and may be a few days fresher.
The last five years
Monthly averages of the weekly survey. The gap between the two lines is what a shorter term buys you.
Month by month
| Month | 30-year | 15-year | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6.512% | 5.875% | 0.637 |
| June 2026 | 6.490% | 5.820% | 0.670 |
| May 2026 | 6.443% | 5.788% | 0.655 |
| April 2026 | 6.332% | 5.676% | 0.656 |
| March 2026 | 6.177% | 5.555% | 0.622 |
| February 2026 | 6.048% | 5.433% | 0.615 |
| January 2026 | 6.102% | 5.443% | 0.659 |
| December 2025 | 6.190% | 5.478% | 0.712 |
| November 2025 | 6.238% | 5.510% | 0.728 |
| October 2025 | 6.254% | 5.490% | 0.764 |
| September 2025 | 6.353% | 5.500% | 0.853 |
| August 2025 | 6.587% | 5.710% | 0.877 |
| July 2025 | 6.720% | 5.860% | 0.860 |
| June 2025 | 6.818% | 5.953% | 0.865 |
| May 2025 | 6.816% | 5.954% | 0.862 |
| April 2025 | 6.725% | 5.903% | 0.822 |
| March 2025 | 6.650% | 5.828% | 0.822 |
| February 2025 | 6.842% | 6.030% | 0.812 |
| January 2025 | 6.958% | 6.164% | 0.794 |
| December 2024 | 6.715% | 5.930% | 0.785 |
| November 2024 | 6.805% | 6.028% | 0.777 |
| October 2024 | 6.428% | 5.598% | 0.830 |
| September 2024 | 6.180% | 5.262% | 0.918 |
| August 2024 | 6.500% | 5.682% | 0.818 |
Every year since 1971
Annual averages of the 30-year fixed. Today’s rate looks high against the last decade and unremarkable against the last fifty years.
The record low was 2.65% in 2021-01-07; the record high was 18.63% in 1981-10-09.
| Year | Average 30-year rate |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 6.302% |
| 2025 | 6.595% |
| 2024 | 6.721% |
| 2023 | 6.807% |
| 2022 | 5.344% |
| 2021 | 2.958% |
| 2020 | 3.112% |
| 2019 | 3.936% |
| 2018 | 4.545% |
| 2017 | 3.990% |
| 2016 | 3.654% |
| 2015 | 3.851% |
| 2014 | 4.169% |
| 2013 | 3.976% |
| 2012 | 3.658% |
| 2011 | 4.448% |
| 2010 | 4.690% |
| 2009 | 5.037% |
| 2008 | 6.027% |
| 2007 | 6.337% |
| 2006 | 6.413% |
| 2005 | 5.867% |
| 2004 | 5.839% |
| 2003 | 5.827% |
| 2002 | 6.537% |
| 2001 | 6.968% |
| 2000 | 8.053% |
| 1999 | 7.440% |
| 1998 | 6.943% |
| 1997 | 7.599% |
| 1996 | 7.806% |
| 1995 | 7.935% |
| 1994 | 8.381% |
| 1993 | 7.315% |
| 1992 | 8.390% |
| 1991 | 9.247% |
| 1990 | 10.129% |
| 1989 | 10.319% |
| 1988 | 10.342% |
| 1987 | 10.213% |
| 1986 | 10.187% |
| 1985 | 12.430% |
| 1984 | 13.878% |
| 1983 | 13.235% |
| 1982 | 16.044% |
| 1981 | 16.642% |
| 1980 | 13.742% |
| 1979 | 11.204% |
| 1978 | 9.642% |
| 1977 | 8.845% |
| 1976 | 8.866% |
| 1975 | 9.047% |
| 1974 | 9.187% |
| 1973 | 8.045% |
| 1972 | 7.383% |
| 1971 | 7.542% |
Why two different “current rates” disagree
The survey number and the locked number rarely match, and neither is wrong.
Freddie Mac’s survey asks lenders what they are offering on a conforming loan to a well-qualified borrower with a solid deposit. It is the number quoted in the news, it is published weekly, and it describes an idealised borrower.
The Optimal Blue index is computed from rate locks on transactions that actually happened. It reflects the mix of real borrowers — including the ones with thinner credit or smaller deposits — so it usually sits above the survey.
If you are wondering why your quote is higher than the headline rate, that gap is a large part of the answer. The rest is on what lenders charge.
What none of these numbers include
All three are interest rates, not APRs. They say nothing about points, origination fees or anything else charged to write the loan — and those vary far more between lenders than the rate does. A quarter point of rate is worth a lot less than four thousand dollars of fees, which is roughly the spread we find between lenders serving the same city.
To compare actual offers, use the comparison tool, which works on total cost over the years you expect to keep the loan.
Why this is not broken down by month for individual states
The lending data elsewhere on this site comes from HMDA filings, which record the year a loan was made and nothing finer — dates are removed to protect borrower privacy. So state and county figures cannot be split by month, and these market series cannot be split by geography. They answer different questions and are best read side by side.