Mortgage Rates
The 30-year fixed is 6.71% as of Sep 3, 2026
Freddie Mac's weekly survey average — not a live quote. On a $400,000 loan that's $2,584/mo in principal and interest. At the October 1981 peak of 18.63% the same loan cost $6,234/mo; at the January 2021 low of 2.65% it cost $1,612/mo.
30-year fixed mortgage rate
Freddie Mac weekly survey, since April 1971Monthly payment on a $400,000 loan
Principal & interest, 30-year term, at each week's rateOver this window the same $400,000 loan ranged from $1,612/mo to $6,234/mo — a $4,622/mo swing on an identical house, from nothing but the interest rate.
Mortgage rate minus the 10-year Treasury
The lender's spread, in percentage pointsMortgages are priced off the 10-year Treasury, not the Fed funds rate. The gap between them is normally about 1.7 points; when it widens, mortgage rates stay high even as Treasury yields fall — which is why a Fed cut doesn't always reach your monthly payment.
About this data
Rates come from Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey via FRED, which publishes a national average every Thursday around noon Eastern. It is a weekly survey average, not a live quote — the rate a lender offers you depends on your credit, down payment, points, loan size and location, and moves daily. The series begins in April 1971. Payments shown are principal and interest only on a 30-year fixed loan; property tax, insurance, PMI and HOA dues are excluded. The spread chart subtracts the 10-year Treasury yield (carried forward to each survey date, since Treasuries trade daily and the survey is weekly). Figures are for orientation, not a loan offer.
Want the full payment breakdown? Mortgage calculator · Rent vs buy · Inflation
FAQ#
- What is the current 30-year mortgage rate?
- The 30-year fixed averaged 6.71% in Freddie Mac's survey for the week of Sep 3, 2026. That is a national weekly average — individual quotes vary with credit score, down payment and points.
- What is the highest mortgage rate in history?
- 18.63%, in October 1981, during the Volcker inflation fight. Freddie Mac's survey starts in April 1971, so that is the highest on record for this series.
- Why didn't my mortgage rate fall when the Fed cut rates?
- Mortgage rates track the 10-year Treasury yield and the spread lenders charge over it — not the Fed funds rate directly. The Fed sets an overnight rate; a 30-year mortgage is priced off long-term expectations. When the spread widens, mortgage rates can hold steady or rise even as the Fed cuts.
- How much does one percentage point cost per month?
- On a $400,000 30-year loan, each extra percentage point adds roughly $263 to the monthly payment (measured between 6% and 7%). The effect compounds over 360 payments, so a point is worth tens of thousands in total interest.