About Bankrate's Mortgage Rate Variability Index
Mortgage Rate Variability Index - Week of March 23, 2026
The Mortgage Rate Variability Index fell to 6 out of 10 as of March 23, 2026, down from 7 the previous week. Our index ranks mortgage rate variability from a low of 1 to a high of 10. Mortgage rates have moved in a narrow range in recent weeks, and rates are at their lowest levels in three years. As the war in Iran roiled markets and sent 10-year Treasury yields up, the average 30-year rate rose to 6.27% in Bankrate’s national survey last week.
The degree of volatility in our Mortgage Rate Variability Index reflects a market that’s neither favorable nor unfavorable for borrowers. When variability is in this range, you might not find large differences in mortgage offers from one lender to the next. However, you should still shop around to get the best deal you can.
A closer look at this week’s index
Here’s how this week’s overall index reading of 6 breaks down by factor.
- 30-year rates post a score value of 0.76 out of 1. This means rates moved more last week than they did in 76% of past weeks. This rate movement was the largest driver of the index reading of 6.
- Treasury rates have a score value of 0.04 out of 1. This means they are very stable, moving more than in just 4% of historical weeks.
- Expert disagreement shows a score value of 0.55 out of 1. This is typical — experts disagree about as much as they do in any typical week. Experts are unsure if rates will go up or stay flat, but this level of disagreement falls in the standard range.
| Variable |
Current week
3/23
|
Week of
3/16
|
|---|---|---|
| Variability score | 6/10 | 7/10 |
|
Average 30-year mortgage rate
This week's national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate based on Bankrate data, as compared to historical weekly changes
|
0.7 | 0.8 |
|
10-year Treasury yield
The week-over-week change in the average 10-year Treasury yield, as compared to historical weekly changes
|
0.0 | 0.5 |
|
Lender rate spread
The week-over-week change in the difference between the highest and lowest rates advertised on Bankrate, as compared to historical weekly changes
|
1.0 | 1.0 |
|
Disagreement in expert predictions
The week-over-week change in the difference in rate movement sentiment among experts polled by Bankrate, as compared to historical weekly changes
|
0.6 | 0.0 |
How we estimate mortgage rate variability
Our Mortgage Rate Variability Index is represented on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 indicating little to no variability in mortgage rates and 10 indicating high variability. The index considers four key factors:
- Average weekly 30-year fixed mortgage rate: Our average weekly 30-year fixed mortgage rate is derived primarily from banks and thrifts across hundreds of markets in the U.S. We collect these rates on a rolling basis and within specific borrower scenarios. Here’s more on our mortgage rate averages.
- Average weekly 10-year Treasury yield: Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates tend to move with the 10-year Treasury yield, a broad economic indicator of investor sentiment.
- Weekly rate spread among mortgage lenders advertising on Bankrate: The rate spread considers the difference between the highest and lowest rates advertised on Bankrate in a given week.
- Disagreement in weekly expert mortgage rate predictions: Each week, we ask a pool of housing and mortgage market experts for their opinion on future mortgage rate movement: whether rates will increase, decrease or stay the same. Here are their latest predictions.
To determine our overall index reading, we look at how each of these four factors changed from the prior week, as well as how that compared to historical trends in variability.
Mortgage rate variability over time
Bankrate has been tracking mortgage rates for close to 40 years, and we believe that understanding longer-term trends can help you determine next steps in getting a loan. Here’s a look at our index in the past five weeks:
Tips to compare mortgage rates
- Explore a variety of mortgage lenders. Your bank or credit union might be worth considering, but they aren’t the only options. Consider different types of lenders and their loan offerings. Some specialize in certain kinds of mortgages and borrowing situations, or might offer more conveniences or savings opportunities compared to your bank.
- Shop around for several offers. Time and again, research has shown that borrowers save money by comparing more than one mortgage rate offer. We can help you shop around for rates tailored to your needs and credit profile.
- Understand the APR. The APR, or annual percentage rate, includes both the interest rate for the mortgage plus fees, so it more accurately reflects the cost of the loan. Here’s more on the difference between APR and interest rate.
Learn more: Compare today's mortgage rate offers