By Jesse Oñate, Realtor · Updated November 12, 2026
- The 30-year fixed averaged 6.05% in February 2026, the low of the year.
- It climbed to a 7.40% peak on October 8 and 15, 2026.
- On November 12, 2026 it was 7.11%, with the 15-year at 6.45%.
- On a $700K loan, the swing from 6.05% to 7.40% is more than $600 a month.
Here is the real SoCal mortgage rate history for 2025 and 2026. Mortgage rates in Southern California follow the national 30-year fixed average that Freddie Mac publishes every Thursday. In 2026 that rate started the year near 6.1%, bottomed out around 6.05% in February, then climbed for eight straight months to a peak of 7.40% in October. As of November 12, 2026 it sits at 7.11%. This page keeps every monthly average in one place, so you can see where rates have actually been before you decide when to buy, sell or refinance.
I update this history every month with Freddie Mac's official numbers. If you want the weekly number the morning it comes out, my Thursday rate text sends it to your phone with a one-line take on what it means for Downey-area buyers.
Monthly mortgage rate averages, 2025 and 2026
These are monthly averages of Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Your own rate depends on your credit, down payment, loan type and points, so treat these as the market baseline.
| Month | 2025 30-yr | 2025 15-yr | 2026 30-yr | 2026 15-yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.96% | 6.16% | 6.10% | 5.44% |
| February | 6.84% | 6.03% | 6.05% | 5.43% |
| March | 6.65% | 5.83% | 6.18% | 5.55% |
| April | 6.72% | 5.90% | 6.33% | 5.68% |
| May | 6.82% | 5.95% | 6.44% | 5.79% |
| June | 6.82% | 5.95% | 6.49% | 5.82% |
| July | 6.72% | 5.86% | 6.54% | 5.91% |
| August | 6.59% | 5.71% | 6.67% | 5.97% |
| September | 6.35% | 5.50% | 6.86% | 6.20% |
| October | 6.25% | 5.49% | 7.33% | 6.66% |
| November | 6.24% | 5.51% | 7.14% | 6.51% |
| December | 6.19% | 5.48% |
November 2026 includes the first two weeks of the month. December 2026 will be added when the month closes.
What happened to rates in 2026?
The year split cleanly in two. From January through March, the 30-year fixed hovered between 6% and 6.4%, with the single lowest week at 5.98% on February 26. Starting in April it rose almost every month: 6.33% in April, 6.49% in June, 6.67% in August, then a sharp jump in the fall to 6.86% in September and 7.33% in October. The single highest weekly reading of the year was 7.40%, on October 8 and October 15.
November has eased slightly, to 7.11% on November 12. One week is not a trend. Buyers I work with plan around the payment they can afford today, not around a guess about next month.
What does a rate change do to your payment?
Rate moves matter more than most people expect. On a $700,000 loan with a 30-year fixed rate, principal and interest alone works out to:
- At 6.05% (February 2026 low): about $4,219 a month
- At 6.49% (June 2026): about $4,420 a month
- At 7.11% (November 12, 2026): about $4,709 a month
- At 7.40% (October 2026 peak): about $4,847 a month
That is a swing of more than $600 a month on the same house within one year. Property tax, insurance and any HOA come on top. Run your own numbers in my mortgage calculator, which uses the live weekly rate.
Should you wait for rates to drop before buying?
Waiting has its own costs. Prices in my farm cities have held up, and when rates do fall, more buyers come back at once and competition picks up. My usual advice is to buy when the payment fits your budget and the right home shows up, then refinance later if rates fall far enough to make the math work. My refinance guide shows how to figure out when a refinance actually pays for itself.
If you are selling, rates shape your buyer pool. Higher rates mean fewer buyers can qualify at the top of your price range, so pricing it right in the first two weeks matters even more. My pricing guide explains why.
How to use this rate history
A rate history is most useful as a reality check. When someone tells you rates are "way up" or "finally coming down," look at the table and see how far they actually moved. A quarter point sounds small, but on a $700,000 loan it is roughly $115 a month.
It also helps you judge timing. If you locked in 2025 or early 2026 near 6%, you are well below today's market, so selling and buying again means taking on a higher rate. If you bought in late 2023 or 2024 at 7.5% or more, a refinance may already make sense, and my refinance guide walks through the break-even math.
Lastly, remember that the rate is only one part of the payment. In LA County, property tax usually runs about 1% plus voter approved bonds, and some neighborhoods carry Mello-Roos on top. My Mello-Roos guide shows how to check before you write an offer.
Month-by-month rate watch
For the full story of a given month, read the rate watch: September 2026 and October 2026. Earlier 2026 months are summarized in the table above. Curious how rates play into a specific city? Start with my Downey market guide or the Whittier guide.
Questions people ask me
What is the current mortgage rate in SoCal?
As of November 12, 2026, Freddie Mac's national 30-year fixed average is 7.11% and the 15-year is 6.45%. SoCal lenders price off the same market, and your exact rate depends on credit, down payment and points.
What was the lowest mortgage rate in 2026?
February 2026 averaged 6.05% on the 30-year fixed, the low point of the year so far. The lowest single week was 5.98%, on February 26, 2026.
Where do these rate numbers come from?
Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, published every Thursday. I average the weekly numbers for each month and link the official source below.
How do I get the weekly rate without checking every week?
Sign up for my Thursday rate text. It sends the new number and a short take on what it means for buyers and sellers in the Downey area.
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