The best 24-month CD rates didn't change over the past month, even though the average return on two-year certificates of deposit plunged to record lows.

The top rates range from 2.50% APY to 2.40% APY in our October rankings, exactly the same as in September.

But that doesn't mean the banks offering those deals remained the same. Tennessee Commerce Bank, for example, dropped its September-best 2.50% APY to 2.05% APY and fell off the list.

The best nationally available rates on 24-month CDs as of Oct. 9 are:

2.50% APY with a minimum deposit of $5,000 from Hudson City Savings Bank. The minimum falls to $500 if you live near one of Hudson City's branches in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

2.50% APY with a minimum deposit of $50,000 for Silver CDs from Frontier Bank, which has 50 branches in Washington and Oregon, or...

2.40% APY with a minimum deposit of $500 from Frontier Bank.

2.40% APY with a minimum deposit of $1,000 from Equity Bank, which has three locations in Dallas, Texas.

Click here to compare these deals with the best CD rates from dozens of other banks in our extensive database.

By Carolyn Siegel

Interest.com Associate Editor