What Bankrate's number actually measures
Bankrate's national HELOC average (7.43% on July 15, 2026) is calculated weekly from a poll of the largest home-equity lenders. The methodology assumes:
- 700 FICO score
- 80% combined loan-to-value (CLTV)
- $30,000 credit line
- Primary residence
- Single-family detached home
- No promo/introductory rates
If your profile matches this exactly, Bankrate is remarkably accurate. If you're a 780 FICO borrower at 55% CLTV wanting a $150K line, your quote will be materially lower than Bankrate's average. If you're a 650 FICO borrower at 82% CLTV wanting $75K, your quote will be higher.
How different sources compare
| Source | July 2026 avg | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Bankrate | 7.43% | Weekly poll, 700 FICO, 80% CLTV, $30K line |
| Curinos | 7.23% | Weekly poll, 780+ FICO, ≤70% CLTV (best borrower) |
| Experian (Curinos) | 7.50% | Same as Curinos, different presentation |
| Money.com | 7.04% | Broader lender poll, wider range shown |
| LendingTree | 8.23% | Average of ACTUAL funded customer rates (broader credit mix) |
| NerdWallet | ~7.35% | Editorial average of major lender advertised rates |
| Forbes Advisor | ~7.40% | Similar methodology to Bankrate |
Notice the 1.19 percentage-point range between Money.com (7.04%) and LendingTree (8.23%). Both are "national averages" — but they're measuring different things.
Why Bankrate skews lower than LendingTree
Bankrate polls advertised rates for a specific well-qualified profile. LendingTree publishes actual customer averages — which include borrowers at 640 FICO, 82% CLTV, non-owner-occupied properties, etc. LendingTree's number is a more accurate reflection of what a randomly-selected HELOC borrower actually paid.
For most borrowers, the truth is somewhere in between:
- 780+ FICO, 60% CLTV, primary residence: probably close to Curinos (7.23%) or better
- 700 FICO, 80% CLTV, primary residence: probably close to Bankrate (7.43%)
- 640 FICO, 82% CLTV, second home: probably closer to LendingTree (8.23%)
How to interpret Bankrate for YOUR situation
Rough personal rate estimate:
- Start with Bankrate's national number (7.43% in July 2026)
- Adjust for FICO: subtract ~10 bps per 20 FICO above 700; add ~15-30 bps per 20 FICO below 700
- Adjust for CLTV: subtract ~15-25 bps per 10 CLTV below 80%; add ~25-50 bps per 5 CLTV above 80%
- Adjust for state: subtract ~15-50 bps if you're in Iowa/ND/SD/AL/AR/IN/KS/KY; add ~15-30 bps if you're in HI/AK/NY/NJ/CT
- Adjust for property type: add 75-150 bps for investment property; add 25-75 bps for second home
Example: 760 FICO, 65% CLTV, primary residence in California = 7.43% - 20 bps (FICO) - 25 bps (CLTV) - 10 bps (state) = ~6.88% projected. Actual quote from a lender should land within 15 bps of this estimate.
The only way to know your real rate
Get soft-pull pre-qualifications from 2-3 lenders in your state at your actual FICO and CLTV. Every reputable HELOC lender offers soft-pull pre-qual that doesn't affect your credit score. Compare the three quotes side by side. Pick the winner. Convert to hard-pull application.
This is the ONE thing all comparison sites (Bankrate, NerdWallet, Forbes, etc.) cannot do for you — because they're aggregators, not lenders. Only actual lenders can quote actual rates for actual profiles.
Get your actual HELOC rate (not the average)
Soft-pull quote based on your specific profile. Written. 1 business day.
Get My Actual RateTalk to a licensed HELOC lender
Direct answer from Audi Garner (NMLS #190235).
Get a 60-second rate estimate
Soft pull only. Written quote within 1 business day.
Ask Audi a HELOC question
Direct answer from a licensed originator.