Today's 30-Year Mortgage Rates

There's a reason the 30-year mortgage is so popular with home buyers. With a longer repayment schedule, you pay less each month than with a shorter-term loan. The mortgage rate you qualify for helps determine your monthly payment. Below, you can see what current 30-year mortgage rates look like from select lenders.

How does a 30-year mortgage work?

A 30-year mortgage is a popular loan option among home buyers. Simply put, it is a type of loan that allows you to repay the amount borrowed over 30 years in 360 monthly installments.

A 30-year mortgage can come with a fixed or adjustable interest rate. With a fixed 30-year loan, your monthly payment stays the same throughout the life of your loan. With an adjustable-rate mortgage (also called an ARM), the interest rate and monthly payments will stay the same for a certain amount of time, but will periodically adjust in response to market conditions -- usually every year or every six months.

In either case, each monthly payment you make includes both principal and interest. As you make payments, the amount of interest paid per month gradually decreases and the amount going towards the principal gradually increases. This means that you'll have paid off more of your home loan with each monthly payment, until your loan is repaid in full at the end of the 30-year term.

The vast majority of home buyers choose 30-year mortgages over 15-year mortgage loans. 30-year mortgages are popular because they lend to result in lower monthly payments. To understand why, let's look at an example. Imagine you're looking to borrow $400,000 to buy a home. If you have twice the amount of time to pay that sum back, you'll owe less each month.

Pay attention to mortgage interest rates, though. You'll generally be subject to a higher interest rate with a 30-year mortgage. It's important to note that the interest rate may vary based on different factors, such as the borrower's credit score and the current state of the economy. Overall, a 30-year mortgage can make owning a home more affordable by spreading out payments over a longer period.

How to compare 30-year mortgage rates

You have several options for finding a 30-year mortgage. You can work with a mortgage broker who can gather rates for you. Alternatively, you can shop around online with various banks and credit unions.

When comparing different mortgage lenders, pay attention to:

• Interest rates
• Closing costs and fees
• Hidden penalties (such as a prepayment penalty for paying off your loan early)
• Minimum down payment required
• Minimum credit score needed to qualify
• Whether locking your rate is free or not

It also helps to look for mortgage lenders who offer prequalification. This way, you know what sort of rates and fees to expect. You also won't face a hard credit inquiry, which could lower your credit score.

Hard inquiries come into play when you officially apply for a loan. If you're going to apply for multiple 30-year mortgages at once, which you definitely should do to make sure you're getting the best deal, aim to do so within the same 30-day period. This way, those various inquiries will all count as just one, and you won't see as much of an impact on your credit score.

Is a 30-year mortgage right for me?

A 30-year mortgage is right for you if you want to keep your monthly payments manageable and maximize your home-buying budget. Stretching out your repayment period offers more financial flexibility. That leaves you the option to take the money you're not pumping into a mortgage payment and invest it or use it to meet other important financial goals.

With a 30-year mortgage, you'll pay more interest than with a shorter-term loan. But if you invest the money you don't put into your mortgage during that time, your gains could well exceed the extra interest.

If you sign up for a 30-year mortgage, you can always pay down your loan sooner. You can also refinance if rates come down before your term is up. That way, you can potentially save money on interest and shorten your loan's lifespan. Just make sure your mortgage doesn't come with a prepayment penalty.

To sum it up, with a 30-year mortgage, you get the wiggle room that comes with a lower monthly payment. But you also have the option to accelerate your repayment period if your earnings increase.

Check out more mortgage rates:

15-year mortgage rates

20-year mortgage rates

Refinance mortgage rates

FHA mortgage rates

Jumbo mortgage rates

VA loan rates

5/1 ARM rates

7/1 ARM rates