The statutory interest-rate almanac · Rankings
Highest & lowest judgment interest rates by state (2026)
Interest on a money judgment ranges from low single digits to 12% a year depending on the state. Here are the extremes for 2026 — both after judgment and before it — each figure verified against the state's own statute. Rankings use each state's primary rate; some states apply a second rate by claim type (shown as "X% / Y%").
Highest post-judgment rates
- Massachusetts12%
- Rhode Island12%
- Vermont12%
- Washington12% / 8.75%
- South Carolina10.75%
- California Judgment Interest Rate10%
- Connecticut10%
- Hawaii10%
Lowest post-judgment rates
- New York Consumer-Debt2%
- Minnesota4% / 10%
- New Jersey4.5% / 6.5%
- Michigan4.959%
- District of Columbia5%
- Utah5.51%
- New Hampshire5.7%
- Nebraska5.723%
Highest prejudgment rates
- Idaho12%
- Massachusetts12%
- Nebraska12% / 5.723%
- Rhode Island12%
- Vermont12%
- Washington12%
- Connecticut10%
- Hawaii10%
Lowest prejudgment rates
- Minnesota4% / 10%
- Oklahoma4.13% / 6%
- New Jersey4.5% / 6.5%
- Michigan4.959%
- Wisconsin5%
- New Hampshire5.7%
- Arkansas5.75%
- Virginia6%
What the rankings tell you
- Fixed vs. market-linked. The highest rates (12%) are almost all fixed by statute and haven't moved in years; the lowest tend to be market-linked formulas that rise and fall with Treasury yields or the prime rate. A low-ranked state today can climb as rates rise.
- Prejudgment is a different number. Many states set a different rate for the period before judgment — and often a separate rate again for tort/personal-injury claims. See the prejudgment index for the claim-type rules.
- Simple vs. compound matters more than the headline. Most states apply simple interest; a few compound annually, which over several years can outweigh a higher simple rate. Each state page notes which applies.
See the full state-by-state comparison, run the calculators, or read how each rate is sourced in the methodology. Reference data as of July 15, 2026 — not legal advice; confirm the controlling rate for your judgment date against the statute.