On January 8, 2026, Freddie Mac’s weekly national average was 6.16% for a 30-year fixed mortgage and 5.46% for a 15-year fixed mortgage. Both averages ticked up from the previous week. These are dated benchmarks, not guaranteed rates for an individual borrower.
Mortgage rates on January 8, 2026
| Mortgage type | January 8, 2026 average | Previous week |
|---|---|---|
| 30-year fixed | 6.16% | 6.15% |
| 15-year fixed | 5.46% | 5.44% |
These figures are from Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), which reports weekly national averages for conventional, conforming, fully amortizing home-purchase loans. Its borrower assumptions include 20% down and excellent credit. See Freddie Mac’s PMMS and its January 8 release.
Were mortgage rates going down?
Not compared with the prior week: the 30-year average rose 0.01 percentage point, from 6.15% to 6.16%, and the 15-year average rose 0.02 percentage point, from 5.44% to 5.46%. Compared with a year earlier, however, the 30-year average was lower: Freddie Mac reported 6.93% one year before January 8, 2026, a decline of 0.77 percentage point.
Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater described rates as having “remained within a narrow range, hovering close to the 6% mark.” The release also reported that purchase applications were up more than 20% from a year earlier, alongside stronger momentum in for-sale residential demand. These are observations from Freddie Mac’s January 8, 2026 release, not a guarantee about the direction of future rates.
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Why a lender’s quote may differ
PMMS is a weekly benchmark built around a particular loan type and borrower profile. A lender quote is tied to the loan program, borrower, lender, and time of the quote. For example, a same-day daily-rate report listed a 6.19% average for 30-year fixed mortgages and a 5.64% average for 30-year FHA loans—different figures from the weekly conventional benchmark. The daily report’s figures are averages, not individualized offers. Mortgage News Daily’s rate report.
When comparing offers, make sure you are comparing the same loan term and program, and distinguish the interest rate from the APR. Down payment, credit profile, points, fees, and quote timing can also matter. The cited averages do not provide a complete fee comparison, so use the lender’s Loan Estimate to assess the costs attached to a specific offer.
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- CONFIDENTLY AND EASILY SOLVES: All your clients' financial questions whether they are buyers, sellers, investors or renters. Increase your perceived professionalism as a new agent, experienced broker or seasoned loan officer. Close more home sales and impress your clients with fast, accurate answers to all their real estate finance questions
- DEDICATED BUYER QUALIFYING KEYS: Enter client's income, debt and expenses to pre-qualify them to only show properties they can afford. Include tax, insurance and mortgage insurance then compare loan options and payment solutions to give your client choices before they make an offer to buy
- FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT LOAN: At the press of a button for jumbo, conventional, FHA/VA, or even 80:10:10 or 80:15:5 combo loans; check to see if ARMs or bi-weekly loans, quarterly payments or if interest-only payments are the answer; giving your client more choices; easily perform what if loan or tvm calculations Find loan amount, term, interest or PITI or PI payments
- BECOME AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE: Reduce your clients' confusion and uncertainty; ensuring they are able to make a purchase offer; knowing they can afford the down payment; and determining which is the right loan for them. Date-math for listings and contracts too. Comes with a protective slide cover, quick reference guide, pocket User's Guide, and long-life batteries
How to use the January 8 figures
- Use 6.16% and 5.46% as dated weekly reference points for 30-year and 15-year fixed conventional loans, respectively.
- Check that a quote uses the same term and loan program before treating it as a like-for-like comparison.
- Compare APR and itemized costs as well as the interest rate; a headline rate alone does not show the full cost of borrowing.
- Request an updated quote when making a decision: these January 8 averages do not indicate what a lender will offer on another date.
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