US Economy Dashboard

Live economic context,
official sources.

Eight key indicators — mortgage rates, the fed funds rate, inflation, unemployment, the 10-year Treasury yield, gasoline, and residential electricity prices — sourced from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), Freddie Mac, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Each card shows the latest reading, its percentile rank within the last decade, and a one-year sparkline.

Key Indicators

Updated daily · 6 h cache

30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is the benchmark rate Freddie Mac surveys weekly from lenders nationwide. It directly determines monthly payments on new home purchases and refinances — when this rate rises by one percentage point on a $400,000 loan, the monthly payment increases by roughly $240. The Fed does not set this rate directly; long-term Treasury yields and mortgage-backed securities markets drive it.

15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate

The 15-year fixed mortgage is the primary alternative for borrowers who want a faster payoff and lower total interest cost. Lenders typically price it 0.5–1 percentage point below the 30-year rate. Monthly payments are higher, but the total interest paid over the life of the loan is roughly 40–50% less than on a comparable 30-year note.

Federal Funds Rate

The federal funds rate is the overnight lending rate between banks, set by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) at meetings held eight times per year. It anchors virtually all consumer borrowing costs — from credit card APRs and home equity lines to auto loans and savings yields. The Fed raises this rate to cool inflation and cuts it to stimulate the economy during slowdowns.

Inflation — CPI, Year-over-Year

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), tracks average price changes for a market basket of goods and services purchased by urban consumers. The year-over-year change measures how quickly purchasing power is eroding. The Fed targets roughly 2% annual inflation; readings well above that typically prompt rate hikes.

Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate, published monthly by the BLS from the Current Population Survey, measures the share of the civilian labor force that is actively looking for work but cannot find it. It is one of the Fed's two mandates alongside price stability. A rate below ~4% historically reflects a tight labor market; readings above ~6% signal recessionary conditions.

10-Year Treasury Yield

The 10-year US Treasury yield is the benchmark bond rate, traded continuously in global markets. It reflects investors' collective expectations for long-run economic growth, inflation, and the Fed's rate path. The 10-year yield is the reference rate for most fixed-rate mortgages and a wide range of corporate loans — it tends to move several weeks before mortgage rates follow.

Regular Gasoline Price — US Average

The US average retail price for regular gasoline, surveyed weekly by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) from roughly 1,000 outlets nationwide. It is the single most visible consumer price in America and the baseline input for any commute, road-trip, or gas-vs-electric cost comparison. Regional prices can differ from the national average by more than a dollar per gallon.

Residential Electricity Price — US Average

The US average residential retail electricity rate, published monthly by the EIA from utility sales data. It drives the operating cost of everything plugged into a home — appliances, heating and cooling, EV charging — and is the rate against which rooftop solar savings are measured. State averages range from under 11¢ to over 40¢ per kWh.

Data sources

All figures are retrieved directly from authoritative primary sources. No adjustments or estimates are applied.

  • Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)Operated by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Provides FEDFUNDS, CPIAUCSL (CPI), UNRATE, and DGS10 series.fred.stlouisfed.org
  • Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS)Weekly survey of lenders across the US reporting their offered rates for conforming mortgages. Provides MORTGAGE30US and MORTGAGE15US via FRED.freddiemac.com/pmms
  • US Energy Information Administration (EIA)Statistical agency of the Department of Energy. Provides the weekly retail gasoline price survey and monthly residential electricity rates via the EIA Open Data API v2.eia.gov/opendata
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)Federal agency responsible for the Consumer Price Index and the monthly jobs report, including the unemployment rate (UNRATE).bls.gov

Figures refresh from FRED and the EIA and are cached for up to 6 hours. Displayed values reflect the most recent observation available upstream at the time of the last cache update. This page is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making borrowing or investment decisions.