The 2026 rise in mortgage rates to their highest level in nearly three years
Gone quiet · last story Sep 30
US mortgage rates climbed through the summer and fall of 2026 to their highest level in more than a year, driven by rising oil prices and stubborn inflation during the war with Iran.[1][2] In late September the average 30-year fixed rate passed 7% for the first time since January 2025, after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, and by October 1 it had reached 7.28%, according to Freddie Mac.[3][4]
Overview updated Oct 28, 2026
In late September the average 30-year fixed rate passed 7% for the first time since January 2025, after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, and by October 1 it had reached 7.28%, according to Freddie Mac.[3][4]
Overview updated Oct 28, 2026
What this arc covers
The weekly movement of average 30-year US mortgage rates through the summer and early fall of 2026, as they climbed past 7% to their highest level in nearly three years.
Earliest story we hold Jul 2, 2026 · 14 stories · 77 sources (counted once each) · 90 days
Background
In early July the average 30-year rate fell to its lowest level since mid-May,[5] but within weeks it rose toward 6.5% and then to its highest level in nearly a year.[6][7] Five months into the war in Iran, the rate reached 6.66% at the end of July.[1] It eased slightly in August[8][9] before rising again in September to its highest in more than 14 months.[10][11]
On September 24 Freddie Mac reported that rates had passed 7%, squeezing affordability for buyers already facing higher energy costs.[2][3] A week later the average rate was 7.28%, after rising for six straight weeks.[4]
Supporting stories (11)
- Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to highest level in a year at 6.66%
- Mortgage rates hit 7% as Iran war pushes borrowing costs higher
- Average mortgage rate hits 7.5%
- Average long-term US mortgage rate churns upward to its highest level in nearly 3 years at 7.28%
- Average 30-year US mortgage rate falls to 6.43%, its lowest level in seven weeks
- Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to 6.49%, pushing up homebuyers’ borrowing costs
- Average 30-year US mortgage rate climbs to 6.55%, highest level in nearly a year
- Mortgage rates dip slightly for the first time in six weeks, but remain steeper than last year
- Mortgage rates ease again, but remain higher than this time last year
- Average rate on a 30-year mortgage climbs to highest level in 13 months
- Mortgage rates climb: Average rate on a 30-year home loan hits the highest level in over 14 months
Overview updated Oct 28, 2026
Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning
Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below
- Jul 14 – 17Average 30-year US mortgage rate climbs to 6.55%, highest level in nearly a year25 articles · 22 sources
- Jul 30 – 31Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to highest level in a year at 6.66%41 articles · 36 sources
- Sep 15 – 18US mortgage rates brush 7%, weighing on buyers, sellers and further straining a bleak housing market31 articles · 24 sources
- Sep 23 – 28Average mortgage rate hits 7.5%51 articles · 39 sources
- Sep 30 – Oct 3Average long-term US mortgage rate churns upward to its highest level in nearly 3 years at 7.28%33 articles · 30 sources
- Sep 30Only lean-left coverage:Mortgage rates just hit a near 3-year high, sending demand down 6%
- Oct 1Average U.S. mortgage rate rises to 7.28%—the highest level in nearly three years
Who covered it, over timeshare of the sources publishing each week, by side
Jun 29, 2026 - Oct 4, 2026
Share of the sources publishing each week that covered it
LeftCenterRight
Week of Sep 28, 2026 - Oct 4, 2026: 10 left, 17 center, 3 right, 6% of the sources that published that week · 33 articles
Show every week as a table
| Week | Left | Center | Right | Articles | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 2026 - Jul 5, 2026 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 1% |
| Jul 6, 2026 - Jul 12, 2026 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 2% |
| Jul 13, 2026 - Jul 19, 2026 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 25 | 4% |
| Jul 20, 2026 - Jul 26, 2026 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 2% |
| Jul 27, 2026 - Aug 2, 2026 | 8 | 19 | 9 | 41 | 6% |
| Aug 3, 2026 - Aug 9, 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Aug 10, 2026 - Aug 16, 2026 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 1% |
| Aug 17, 2026 - Aug 23, 2026 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1% |
| Aug 24, 2026 - Aug 30, 2026 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1% |
| Aug 31, 2026 - Sep 6, 2026 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 3% |
| Sep 7, 2026 - Sep 13, 2026 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 2% |
| Sep 14, 2026 - Sep 20, 2026 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 31 | 5% |
| Sep 21, 2026 - Sep 27, 2026 | 11 | 26 | 4 | 53 | 9% |
| Sep 28, 2026 - Oct 4, 2026 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 33 | 6% |
26% left · 51% center · 23% right of 77 sources on the spectrum, across 14 stories.
Every storyoldest first
July 2026
- Jul 2Average 30-year US mortgage rate falls to 6.43%, its lowest level in seven weeks9 articles · 8 sources2 left, 4 center, 2 right
- Jul 8– 9Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to 6.49%, pushing up homebuyers’ borrowing costs14 articles · 12 sources3 left, 5 center, 4 right
- Jul 14– 17Average 30-year US mortgage rate climbs to 6.55%, highest level in nearly a year25 articles · 22 sources2 left, 17 center, 3 right
- Jul 23– 24Average 30-year US mortgage rate climbs to 6.58%, highest level in nearly a year17 articles · 15 sources2 left, 5 center, 7 right
- Jul 30– 31Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to highest level in a year at 6.66%41 articles · 36 sources8 left, 19 center, 9 right
August 2026
- Aug 13– 14Mortgage rates dip slightly for the first time in six weeks, but remain steeper than last year10 articles · 8 sources3 left, 2 center, 3 right
- Aug 19– 21Mortgage rates ease again, but remain higher than this time last year9 articles · 5 sources2 left, 2 center, 1 right
- Aug 26– 28Mortgage rates rise, bringing the average rate on a 30-year home loan to where it was 4 weeks ago7 articles · 6 sources3 left, 3 center, 0 right
September 2026
- Sep 3– 4Average rate on a 30-year mortgage climbs to highest level in 13 months16 articles · 13 sources3 left, 8 center, 2 right
- Sep 9– 11Mortgage rates climb: Average rate on a 30-year home loan hits the highest level in over 14 months12 articles · 10 sources5 left, 5 center, 0 right
- Sep 15– 18US mortgage rates brush 7%, weighing on buyers, sellers and further straining a bleak housing market31 articles · 24 sources4 left, 15 center, 5 right
- Sep 24– 25Mortgage rates hit 7% as Iran war pushes borrowing costs higher5 articles · 5 sources4 left, 0 center, 0 right
- Sep 30– Oct 3Average long-term US mortgage rate churns upward to its highest level in nearly 3 years at 7.28%33 articles · 30 sources10 left, 16 center, 3 right