How much does a low credit score raise a mortgage rate?

As of September 3, 2026 the 30-year fixed conforming average is 6.673% for borrowers with a credit score of 740 and above at 80% or less loan-to-value, and 6.977% for 680 to 699 at over 80%. That is 0.304 percentage points, or about $51 a month on a $250,000 loan.

Does a larger down payment lower my mortgage rate?

Yes. At the same credit band, loans at 80% loan-to-value or less price lower than loans above 80%, and loans above 80% normally also carry mortgage insurance on top of the rate.

Mortgage Rates

What Your Credit Score Costs

Lenders do not price every borrower the same. These are published daily averages by credit band and loan-to-value, from actual rate locks. The gap between the top and bottom band today is 0.304 percentage points.

As of September 3, 2026

30-Year Fixed by Credit Band

Credit score	Loan-to-value	Rate	Monthly P&I	Paid over 30 years
740 and above	80% or less	6.673%	$1,609	$579,139
740 and above	Over 80%	6.729%	$1,618	$582,483
720 to 739	80% or less	6.766%	$1,624	$584,696
700 to 719	80% or less	6.769%	$1,625	$584,875
680 to 699	80% or less	6.785%	$1,627	$585,834
720 to 739	Over 80%	6.812%	$1,632	$587,452
700 to 719	Over 80%	6.831%	$1,635	$588,592
Under 680	80% or less	6.869%	$1,641	$590,875
Under 680	Over 80%	6.918%	$1,650	$593,824
680 to 699	Over 80%	6.977%	$1,659	$597,383

Monthly figures are principal and interest on a $250,000 loan, chosen as a round number for comparison rather than as a local median. Loan-to-value over 80% normally also carries mortgage insurance, which is not included here and widens the gap further.

M = P × r(1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n - 1) P = $250,000, n = 360

Worth knowing: today the bands are not in a straight line. Under 680 priced below 680 to 699 at over 80% loan-to-value. These indices are computed from real rate locks rather than from a rate sheet, so a band with fewer locks on a given day can print out of order. It is not a reason to aim for a lower score; over any longer period the ordering holds.

What That Means

Moving from 680 to 699 at over 80% loan-to-value to 740 and above at 80% or less is worth about $51 a month, or $18,243 across a 30-year term, on a $250,000 loan. If you are within a few points of the next band, that is usually worth fixing before you lock rather than after.

All current rates Compare loan types

Daily indices: Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Weekly average: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, retrieved from FRED. Figures on this page are read from published data at build time and were last refreshed 2026-09-05. Rates are national averages, not quotes, and are not an offer of credit. Your rate depends on credit, loan-to-value, property type, occupancy and lender.