The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.30% for the week ending April 30, 2026, up from 6.23% the prior week, Freddie Mac (OTC:FMCC) said Thursday.
The 15-year fixed rate also rose, averaging 5.64%, compared with 5.58% last week. Both rates remain below year-ago levels.
“As rates had modestly declined the last few weeks, purchase demand has accelerated with purchase applications rising to over 20% above a year ago,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.
“It is clear that purchase demand continues to hold up as prospective buyers react to both modestly lower rates and more inventory to choose from than the last few years.”
Affordability Still A Barrier
The pickup in demand comes against a difficult affordability backdrop.
A WalletHub analysis showed Hawaii homeowners spend over 50% of their median monthly income on housing. California follows at 43%. At the national level, the average 30-year fixed rate stood at 6.18% in March, yet existing home sales still fell 3.6% from February to an annual pace of 3.98 million units — the slowest in nine …
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