Mortgage data guides & glossary

Short, plain-English explainers for the terms behind RateLedger's data. Start with what HMDA is (the public dataset every state page is built from), then learn how FHA, VA and conventional loans differ, why applications get denied, and what mortgage rate spread means.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act dataset behind every figure on this site — what it covers and what it can't tell you.

The three main mortgage programs, who they're for, and how down payment and credit requirements differ.

The reasons lenders report for turning down applications — debt-to-income, credit history, collateral and more.

The HMDA rate-spread field, how it relates to higher-priced loans, and why fixed rates track the 10-year Treasury.

Then explore the data

Last updated: 2026-06-20