Interest income of $556.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 on loans and loans held for sale increased $138.2 million, or 33%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of loans, including loans held for sale, during the six months ended June 30, 2024 increased $2.6 billion, or 23%, to $13.9 billion compared to $11.3 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023, and the average yield on loans increased 57 basis points, to 8.04% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to 7.47% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest income of $29.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 on securities available for sale increased $21.3 million, or 273%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of securities available for sale increased $502.4 million, or 90%, to $1.1 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2024 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023, and the average yield increased 270 basis points, to 5.52% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to 2.82% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest income of $40.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 on securities held to maturity increased $7.3 million, or 22%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of securities held to maturity, during the six months ended June 30, 2024 increased $74.3 million, or 7%, to $1.2 billion compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average yield on securities held to maturity increased 84 basis points, to 6.88% for the six months ended June 30, 2024 ended, compared to 6.04% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest income of $11.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 on interest-earning deposits and other increased $6.3 million, or 114%, compared to $5.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of interest-earning deposits and other increased $175.0 million, or 81%, to $392.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, from $217.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, and the average yield increased 92 basis points, to 6.03% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to 5.11% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest Expense. Total interest expense of $387.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 increased $124.2 million, or 47%, compared to $263.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest expense on deposits increased $108.4 million, or 45%, to $350.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases in both average balances and higher rates for certificate of deposit accounts and interest-bearing checking accounts, as well as higher rates on money market accounts.
Interest expense of $164.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 for certificates of deposits increased $71.2 million, or 76%, compared to $93.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of certificates of deposit accounts was $6.1 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2024, an increase of $2.1 million, or 52%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average rate on certificates of deposit accounts was 5.42% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, which was a 74 basis point increase compared to 4.68% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest expense of $118.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 for interest-bearing checking accounts increased $29.9 million, or 34%, compared to $88.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of interest-bearing checking accounts of $5.0 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2024 increased $822.1 million, or 20%, compared to $4.2 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average rate on interest-bearing checking accounts was 4.78% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, which was a 49 basis point increase compared to 4.29% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
Interest expense of $66.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 for money market accounts increased $7.7 million, or 13%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average balance of money market accounts of $2.8 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2024 increased $4.1 million compared to the six months ended June 30, 2023. The average rate on money market accounts was 4.80% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, which was a 54 basis point increase compared to 4.26% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.