Today’s average interest rate on a 30-year purchase mortgage is 6.501%, according to Zillow data provided to U.S. News. For refinancing mortgages, today’s 30-year rate is 6.708% and the current 15-year rate is 5.757%.
Interest rates on home loans have risen over the past month and a half, essentially since the beginning of the U.S. war in Iran. The Middle East conflict has put upward pressure on oil prices, which can make other items more expensive to manufacture and transport. Put simply, higher oil prices mean higher inflation — and higher inflation means higher interest rates.
Most experts expect mortgage rates to stay relatively elevated over the next few years, stuck above 6% for the 30-year fixed term. Although there’s always the chance that something unexpected could happen in the U.S. economy that could send rates tumbling lower, it’s unlikely that rates will fall below 3% or even 4% in the foreseeable future.
Current Mortgage Purchase Rates
Here are today’s interest rates for conforming purchase mortgages by loan term:
— 30-year fixed: 6.501%
— 20-year fixed: 6.496%
— 15-year fixed: 5.71%
— 10-year fixed: 5.998%
— 7-year ARM: 6.6%
— 5-year ARM: 6.789%
— 3-year ARM: 8.25%
And here are the current nonconforming mortgage rates by loan type:
— Jumbo: 6.419%
— FHA: 5.875%
— VA: 5.726%
[Read: Best Mortgage Lenders]
Current Mortgage Refinance Rates
Here are today’s mortgage refinance rates:
— 30-year fixed refi: 6.708%
— 20-year fixed refi: 6.779%
— 15-year fixed refi: 5.757%
— 10-year fixed refi: 6.067%
Mortgage refinance rates tend to follow the same trends as mortgage purchase rates, although interest rates on a mortgage refinance are often a few basis points higher than on purchase mortgages.
[Read: Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders.]
Mortgage Rate Trends in 2026 So Far
Freddie Mac collects weekly mortgage rate data, which can help provide context for mortgage borrowers on how and why mortgage rates change over time. Since the mortgage giant began collecting data in 1971, the median mortgage rate is 7.24%.
The 30-year fixed rate fell to a historic low of 2.65% in January 2021, driving up demand for purchase and refinance mortgages. Since then, mortgage rates rose to nearly 8% in October 2023 before coming down to around 6.5% currently. Still, that’s nothing compared with the record high of 18.63% recorded in 1981.
You can use the interactive mortgage rates graph below to see how 30-year fixed interest rates have changed so far in 2026, per Freddie Mac data.
Mortgage Monthly Payment Calculator
Your mortgage interest rate is just one aspect of your monthly housing payment. You’ll need to carefully consider how your home’s purchase price will impact your budget so you don’t buy more house than you can comfortably afford.
The mortgage term — or the length of your loan — will also significantly influence your monthly payments. Most borrowers opt for a 30-year fixed mortgage, which can keep monthly payments affordable because they are spread over a long repayment term. But if you can afford the higher monthly payments of a 15-year mortgage, it can save you tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments over time.
You’ll also need to consider property taxes, home insurance, homeowners association fees and private mortgage insurance, if applicable. You can use the calculator below to run the numbers for your financial situation.
More from U.S. News
4 in 5 Homebuyers Are Still Waiting for Lower Mortgage Rates
When Will Mortgage Rates Go Down? See the 2026 Forecast
Historical Mortgage Rates: See Averages and Trends by Decade
Today’s Mortgage Rates: April 6, 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com