Sources reviewed October 23, 2026. The home price is a September benchmark, not a current national payment average. Every payment on this page is computed with the same amortization engine that powers our amortization calculator — sources and method at the bottom. Journalists: you may cite any figure with attribution to MoneyCrunchLab; you can request custom scenarios (hello@moneycrunchlab.com).
Payment on the median home, by down payment
Median existing-home price: $417,500 (NAR, September 2026 benchmark). Rate: 7.32%, 30-year fixed (Freddie Mac PMMS, October 22, 2026).
| Down payment | Loan amount | Monthly P&I | Total interest over 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% ($20,875) | $396,625 | $2,725 | $584,209 |
| 10% ($41,750) | $375,750 | $2,581 | $553,461 |
| 20% ($83,500) | $334,000 | $2,294 | $491,965 |
These figures are principal and interest only. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, PMI (required below 20% down on most conventional loans), and HOA dues come on top — together they commonly add several hundred dollars a month.
Modeled payment by home price
All rows: 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32%.
| Home price | Monthly P&I | Total interest over 30 years |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $1,374 | $294,590 |
| $300,000 | $1,649 | $353,508 |
| $350,000 | $1,923 | $412,426 |
| $400,000 | $2,198 | $471,344 |
| $417,500 (September median) | $2,294 | $491,965 |
| $500,000 | $2,748 | $589,180 |
| $600,000 | $3,297 | $707,016 |
| $750,000 | $4,122 | $883,770 |
How much the rate matters
Median-priced home, 20% down ($334,000 loan), 30-year term:
| Rate | Monthly P&I | Total interest over 30 years |
|---|---|---|
| 5.00% | $1,793 | $311,474 |
| 5.50% | $1,896 | $348,709 |
| 6.00% | $2,002 | $386,900 |
| 7.00% | $2,222 | $465,960 |
| 7.32% (Oct. 22) | $2,294 | $491,965 |
| 7.50% | $2,335 | $506,736 |
Each half-point of rate in the displayed range moves the modeled payment by roughly $100–$115 a month — and by $37,000–$41,000 in lifetime interest. The 30-year rate averaged 6.19% on October 23, 2025 (PMMS); applying it to the same loan gives $2,043 a month. The October 22, 2026 rate implies about $251 more per month on an identical loan with the home-price benchmark held constant.
On a 15-year term at the October 22, 2026 rate of 6.68% (PMMS), the same 20%-down benchmark loan costs $2,943 a month — $648 more than the 30-year — but total interest falls from $491,965 to $195,677. Compare both on our 15 vs. 30 year calculator.
Run your own numbers
Your payment depends on your price, rate, and down payment — not the averages. The home affordability calculator computes your budget by the 28/36 rule with taxes and insurance counted, and the amortization schedule calculator unpacks any loan year by year.
Methodology & sources
- Payments are computed with the standard fixed-rate amortization formula (monthly compounding), the same engine as our public calculators. Figures are principal & interest only, rounded to the nearest dollar.
- Median existing-home price: $417,500, September 2026 — National Association of Realtors, Existing-Home Sales (October 13, 2026 release).
- Mortgage rates: 30-year 7.32%, 15-year 6.68%, week of October 22, 2026; 30-year one year ago 6.19% — Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.
- Page last reviewed: October 23, 2026. We re-check these figures when the underlying sources publish new data.
Cite as: “MoneyCrunchLab analysis of Freddie Mac PMMS and NAR data, updated October 2026.”