HELOC rates today
What are HELOC rates today?
As of October 28, 2026, the prime rate is 7.00%, and typical HELOC rates run 7.25%–8.75% for borrowers with 760+ credit and 8.00%–9.75% APR for 720–759. Most HELOC rates are prime plus a margin set by your credit, combined loan-to-value and line size, so they move whenever the Federal Reserve changes rates. The next Fed decision is December 9, 2026.
These typical ranges are current pricing for a common borrower profile. For starting rates on HELOCs actually funded by Shawn's team, across every credit profile, see HELOC statistics. Download these ranges (CSV).
Shawn's rates on October 27, 2026
| Loan | Rate | APR | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed-rate HELOC | 6.990% | 6.990% | 30 years, fixed |
| Home equity loan | 7.275% | 7.974% | 20 years, fixed |
| Conventional mortgage | 6.500% | 6.960% | 30 years, fixed |
Rates for a well-qualified borrower on a primary home, as of October 27, 2026, and subject to change daily. Your rate depends on credit, loan amount, loan-to-value, property and state. A $100,000 home equity loan at 7.275% (7.974% APR) for 20 years has 240 monthly principal and interest payments of $792. A $350,000 30-year conventional loan at 6.500% (6.960% APR), with a 20% down payment ($87,500 on a $437,500 home), has 360 monthly principal and interest payments of $2,212. The fixed-rate HELOC is not tied to the prime rate, so its fixed rate can be below today's prime; variable-rate HELOCs are priced at prime plus a margin. Payments don't include taxes and insurance, so actual payments will be higher. HELOC APRs don't include costs other than interest, while the home equity loan and mortgage APRs do, so compare total cost (rate plus all fees), not APR alone.
How your rate is built
Almost every HELOC rate is the prime rate plus a margin. Prime follows the Federal Reserve: it sits 3 points above the top of the Fed's target range. Your margin is set when the line opens and doesn't change.
What moves your margin: credit score, combined loan-to-value (under 70% is best), line size, and whether the home is your primary residence. Introductory rates exist; check the rate after the intro period ends.
Typical rates by credit score
| Credit score | Spread over prime | Typical rate today |
|---|---|---|
| 760+ | +0.25–1.75 | 7.25%–8.75% |
| 720–759 | +1.00–2.75 | 8.00%–9.75% |
| 680–719 | +1.50–3.25 | 8.50%–10.25% |
| 640–679 | +2.25–5.50 | 9.25%–12.50% |
| Under 640 | +4.00–6.00 | 11.00%–13.00% |
How these ranges are set: the middle half of starting rates on 551 primary-home HELOCs that Shawn Way's team funded from August 2026 through October 2026, each expressed as a spread over the prime rate when it closed and added to today's prime. They cover fixed and variable lines and all loan sizes, and update monthly. Historical results, not an offer or a quote; your rate depends on your credit, equity, line size, property and state. Prime 7.00%, as of October 28, 2026.
Prime rate change log
Every change since September 2025. Variable HELOC rates move by the same amount, usually within one billing cycle.
| Date | Prime | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| September 17, 2026 | 7.00% | Fed raised its target range 0.25 point to 3.75%–4.00%. Variable HELOC rates rose by the same amount. |
| December 11, 2025 | 6.75% | Fed cut 0.25 point. Prime held here through the July 2026 meeting. |
| October 30, 2025 | 7.00% | Fed cut 0.25 point. |
| September 18, 2025 | 7.25% | Fed cut 0.25 point. |
What borrowers actually got in 2026
Median starting rate on HELOCs Shawn Way's team funded in 2026, by credit score. Rates were set at the prime rate in effect when each loan closed.
| Credit score | HELOCs | Median starting rate |
|---|---|---|
| 760+ | 750 | 7.55% |
| 720–759 | 481 | 8.20% |
| 680–719 | 536 | 9.00% |
| 640–679 | 341 | 10.55% |
| Under 640 | 114 | 11.47% |
Fixed-rate HELOCs funded in 2026 started at a median 8.65%; variable-rate lines at 9.26%.
Source: HELOCHQ analysis of 9,601 HELOCs funded by Shawn Way's team, January 2023–October 2026. Historical starting rates on funded loans, not offers or quotes. Month by month: HELOC Rate Index.
What borrowers actually paid each month, from Shawn Way's team's funded HELOCs: the HELOC Rate Index.
What moves the prime rate
Banks set prime at 3 points above the top of the Federal Reserve's federal funds target range, so prime moves when the Fed changes rates, typically by 0.25 point at a time. The Fed meets eight times a year. Between meetings, prime almost never changes. Next meeting: December 9, 2026.
How to get a lower margin
- Raise your credit score into the next tier before applying. Score tiers.
- Borrow less relative to your home's value; staying under 70%–80% combined loan-to-value often lowers the margin.
- Ask about relationship discounts for autopay or deposits at the lender.
- Compare at least two written quotes on the margin after any intro rate.
Fixed-rate options
Many lenders let you lock part of your balance at a fixed rate. Fixed HELOC rates and home equity loan rates follow longer-term interest rates more than prime, so they can move even when prime doesn't. Fixed-rate HELOCs.
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What a change in prime does to a payment
Each 0.25-point change in prime changes interest by about $21 a month on a $100,000 balance. Run your balance.
Related question: What is a good HELOC rate?
Related question: HELOC rate history