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15-Year Mortgage Calculator

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This 15-year mortgage calculator shows the higher monthly payment and lower total interest of a shorter home loan. Enter home price, down payment, and rate with a 15-year term to compare against a 30-year schedule and see whether faster equity buildup fits your budget.

Fifteen-year fixed mortgages typically carry slightly lower rates than 30-year products and build equity faster because more of each payment goes to principal earlier in the schedule.

The monthly payment is materially higher. Buyers often choose a 30-year loan for flexibility and make voluntary extra payments instead—but a 15-year note forces discipline if that matches your goals.

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How to use this tool

Enter home price, down payment, and annual interest rate, then set the loan term to 15 years. Review monthly P&I and total interest, then use scenario compare to contrast with a 30-year term on the same purchase price.

Worked example

Example: $360,000 loan at 6.25% over 15 years gives roughly $3,090/month principal and interest—about $756/month more than the same loan at 30 years, but with significantly less total interest paid.

When to use this

  • Comparing lender quotes for 15-year vs 30-year fixed rates.
  • Checking whether your income supports a shorter amortization.
  • Estimating interest savings before refinancing to a 15-year term.
  • Planning a second home purchase with aggressive payoff goals.

Common examples

  • Buying a $350,000 home with 20% down ($70,000), 6.5% APR, 30 years, $4,200/year tax and $1,800/year insurance → principal and interest near $1,770/month; total housing payment near $2,270/month before PMI.
  • Buying a $500,000 home with 10% down ($50,000), 7% APR, 30 years, $6,000/year tax, $2,400/year insurance, and $150/month HOA → P&I near $2,994/month; estimated total near $3,844/month.
  • First-time buyer: $275,000 home with 5% down ($13,750), 6.75% APR, 30 years, modest tax and insurance → P&I near $1,694/month; total near $2,094/month—PMI often applies below 20% down.
  • $425,000 home with 15% down, 6.75% APR, 30 years → P&I near $2,350/month before tax and insurance.
  • Refinance scenario: $280,000 remaining balance at 5.9% for 25 years → compare to current 6.5% payment on the same balance.

What people search for

Common mistakes

  • Choosing 15 years without leaving room for maintenance and savings.
  • Assuming 15-year rates are always dramatically lower than 30-year.
  • Refinancing to 15 years without accounting for closing costs.
  • Forgetting tax and insurance when judging affordability.

Related long-tail tasks

  • compare 15 vs 30 year total interest
  • see if income supports 15 year payment
  • calculate refinance savings to 15 year
  • find break-even on 15 year vs extra payments
  • estimate equity at year 5 on 15 year loan

How it works

Enter the home price, down payment, interest rate, and term. The calculator derives the loan amount and uses the standard amortizing loan formula for principal and interest. Optional annual property tax, home insurance, and monthly HOA fees are added to estimate a total monthly payment. Fees, PMI, and taxes beyond your inputs are not included.

Limitations

Monthly payment estimates exclude HOA, PMI changes, escrow adjustments, and property tax reassessments. Not a loan offer or pre-approval.

Privacy and file handling

Your data is processed in your browser and is not uploaded to our server.

Accuracy & methodology

This section documents how the calculator works, what it leaves out, and when results were last reviewed. Figures are educational estimates—not professional advice—and are not labeled "current" unless tied to automatically updated reference data.

Formula source or methodology
Loan amount = home price − down payment. Monthly principal & interest uses the standard amortizing loan payment formula (same as loan calculator). Optional annual property tax, insurance, and HOA are divided by 12 and added to P&I for total monthly housing payment.
Jurisdiction
General mortgage math (not country-specific underwriting rules)
Unit system
Currency for price, down payment, tax, insurance, HOA; years for term; percent for rate
Rounding method
Currency amounts round to two decimal places (half up via Math.round × 100 / 100).
Assumptions
  • Fixed annual interest rate for the full term
  • Level monthly payments (fully amortizing)
  • Down payment is a dollar amount, not a separate percent field
Known omissions
  • Not tax, legal, investment, or lending advice. Confirm material decisions with qualified professionals.
  • Origination fees, points, PMI/MIP, and lender-specific charges unless a field exists
  • Property taxes, insurance, and HOA unless explicitly entered
  • Prepayment penalties and variable or adjustable rates after the initial period
  • Tax deductibility of interest
Test cases (automated)
  • Typical home price, down payment, rate, and term return positive P&I and total interest
  • Down payment greater than home price is rejected
Version & last verified

Logic version 1.0. Content and formulas last verified .

Important notice

Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and lender-specific costs may not be included. Consult a qualified financial professional for personal guidance.

Related Mortgage Calculator guides

These pages use the same mortgage calculator with guides tailored to specific search intents.

Frequently asked questions

How much more is a 15-year payment vs 30 years?

On the same loan amount and rate, a 15-year payment is typically 40–50% higher than a 30-year payment because the principal is repaid in half the time.

Do 15-year mortgages have lower interest rates?

Often yes—lenders price shorter terms with slightly lower rates because the loan is repaid faster. Enter the rate quoted on your 15-year offer for an accurate estimate.

Can I switch from 30 years to 15 years later?

You can refinance to a 15-year loan or make extra payments on a 30-year note. Compare total cost including closing costs before refinancing.

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