U.S. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Rises to 6.218% – Up 3 Basis Points from Prior Week

Mortgage rates in the United States edged slightly higher on April 22, 2026, with the average interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate conforming loan reaching 6.218%, an increase of about 3 basis points from the previous day, according to data from mortgage data company Optimal Blue.

The rise marks a modest uptick in borrowing costs for homebuyers, continuing a week of fluctuating rates that have seen the 30-year average move between 6.218% and 6.279% over the past seven days. A week prior, the same loan type averaged 6.279%, indicating a slight decline from that level despite the day-over-week increase.

Meanwhile, the average rate for a 15-year, fixed-rate conforming mortgage loan decreased to 5.450%, down approximately 4 basis points from the prior day’s rate of 5.689%. This downward movement contrasts with the 30-year trend and reflects divergent pricing across loan terms in the current market.

Other loan categories also showed mixed movement on April 22. The 30-year jumbo mortgage rate stood at 6.538%, down 7 basis points from the previous day. FHA loans averaged 6.014%, a decrease of 7 basis points, while VA loans were at 5.819%, down 11 basis points. USDA-backed loans averaged 5.845%, reflecting a 15 basis point decline from the day before.

According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS), which collects data from thousands of loan applications processed through its Loan Product Advisor® system, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.30% for the week ending April 16, 2026. This represents a decline from the prior week’s average of 6.37% and marks a four-week low in the survey’s tracking.

Compared to one year ago, when the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.83% during the same period in April 2025, current rates represent a meaningful improvement for prospective homebuyers. The PMMS data, released weekly on Thursdays at 12 p.m. ET, reflects loan rates locked in from the prior Thursday through Wednesday and is based on conventional, single-family originations within conforming loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

At the current 30-year rate of 6.218%, a borrower taking out a $300,000 mortgage would pay approximately $362,730.27 in interest over the life of the loan. For a 15-year mortgage at the same principal amount and the prevailing rate of 5.450%, total interest paid would be roughly $139,793.39.

The data underscores ongoing volatility in the mortgage market, with short-term fluctuations occurring amid a broader downward trend from the peaks seen in 2023 and early 2024. Homebuyers continue to face a housing affordability challenge influenced by both interest rates and home prices, though the year-over-year decline in rates offers some relief compared to the same period in 2025.