Mortgage calculator: estimate your monthly payment
Estimate a monthly mortgage payment with taxes, insurance and extra payments, starting with this week's average rates from Freddie Mac.
Built by the Tribune's code from official data. No AI wrote this page. Rates: week of Oct. 29, 2026. Updated every week when Freddie Mac publishes, usually Thursday.
Payoff schedule, by year of the loan
| Year | Principal paid | Interest paid | Balance at year's end |
|---|
How it's calculated
The principal and interest payment is for a fixed-rate loan with equal monthly payments: the loan amount is the home price minus the down payment, and the rate is divided into 12 monthly rates. Each month, interest is charged on the remaining balance and the rest of the payment, plus any extra payment, reduces the balance. Taxes, insurance and HOA dues are added as you enter them; the calculator doesn't estimate them.
The starting rates are Freddie Mac's averages for the week of Oct. 29, 2026: 7.24% for a 30-year fixed loan and 6.60% for a 15-year fixed loan. They are national averages for borrowers with excellent credit who put 20% down; the rate you are offered depends on your credit, down payment, loan type and lender, and lenders may also charge fees or points.
The results are estimates for illustration, not financial advice. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how to shop for a mortgage and compare loan offers.
Rates: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, used with attribution as published.