In the dynamic realm of U.S. real estate, the foreclosure market often unveils key trends that will shape the future of home ownership. According to property data provider ATTOM , the number of housing units with foreclosure filings in February was 32,938, a 1% drop from the previous month but a 8% rise from the previous year. Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, emphasizes the potential impact on homeowners and market strategies due to this annual uptick.
Foreclosure completion numbers dipped in 28 states, with significant repossession drops seen in states like Georgia, New York, and North Carolina. Notably, South Carolina, Delaware, and Florida stood out with the highest foreclosure rates, while major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York lead in terms of completed foreclosures (REOs). Foreclosure starts also saw a monthly and annual increase, with states like Florida, California, and Texas experiencing the highest numbers. Borrowers should stay up to date on their mortgage payments and work closely with their lenders to explore options for assistance if needed.
Read on for the foreclosure rates in February 2024 – plus the five counties, or county equivalents, with the highest rates within those states.
50 State Foreclosure Rates
As previously noted, foreclosure rates dropped slightly compared to last month, but rose moderately compared to last year. Read on for the February foreclosure rates for all 50 states — plus the District of Columbia — beginning with the state that had the lowest rate of foreclosure filings per housing unit.
District of Columbia
Ranking in population between Vermont and Alaska, the country’s second and third least populous states, Washington, D.C. observed 143 foreclosures in January, up about 44% from the previous month. With a total of 350,372 housing units, the foreclosure rate of the nation’s capital was one in every 2,450 households, putting it in between the states of Delaware (#2) and Florida (#3).
50. North Dakota
The Peace Garden State’s foreclosure rate was one in every 28,644 homes. This puts the fourth-least populous state — with 372,376 housing units and 13 foreclosures — into 50th place. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Hettinger, Morton, Williams, Stark, and Ward.
49. Montana
Listed as 44th in population, the Treasure State rated 49th for its foreclosure rate this month. With 24 foreclosures out of 517,430 housing units, Montana’s foreclosure rate was one in every 21,560 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Daniels, Phillips, Beaverhead, Mineral, and Powell.
48. South Dakota
The Mount Rushmore State nabbed the 48th spot for highest foreclosure rate in February. Having 393,150 total housing units, the fifth-least populous state had a foreclosure rate of one in every 18,721 households with 21 foreclosures. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Custer, Codington, Pennington, Lincoln, and Minnehaha.
47. West Virginia
Ranked 39th in population, the Mountain State claimed the 47th spot this month. It has a total of 859,142 housing units, of which 56 went into foreclosure. This means that the foreclosure rate was one in every 15,342 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Roane, Wetzel, Marion, Fayette, and Pocahontas.
46. Kansas
The Sunflower State ranked 46th for highest foreclosure rate in February. With 1,278,548 homes and a total of 94 housing units going into foreclosure, the 35th most populous state’s foreclosure rate was one in every 13,602 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Trego, Republic, Ness, Haskell, and Allen.
45. Washington
Sorted as 13th in population, the Evergreen State ranked 45th for its foreclosure rate this month. Of its 3,216,243 housing units, 261 went into foreclosure, making the state’s foreclosure rate one in every 12,323 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Columbia, Yakima, Cowlitz, Pierce, and Island.
44. Vermont
In 49th place for population, the Green Mountain State ranked 44th for its foreclosure rate in February. Of the state’s 335,138 housing units, 28 homes went into foreclosure at a rate of one in every 11,969 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Grand Isle, Bennington, Essex, Orleans, and Washington.
43. Nebraska
Ranking 37th in population, the Cornhusker State placed 43rd this month with a foreclosure rate of one in every 10,872 homes. With a total of 848,023 housing units, the state had 78 foreclosure filings. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Webster, Polk, Sheridan, Scotts Bluff, and Kearney.
42. Hawaii
The Paradise of the Pacific, and the 40th most populous state, came in 42nd for highest foreclosure rate. Of its 560,873 homes, 52 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 10,786 households. Only four of the five counties in the state saw foreclosures. They were (from highest to lowest): Hawaii, Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai.
41. Colorado
The 21st most populous state ranked 41st for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of the Centennial State’s 2,500,095 housing units, 235 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 10,639 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Cheyenne, Lake, Washington, Lincoln, and Logan.
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40. Wisconsin
With 260 foreclosures out of 2,734,511 total housing units, America’s Dairyland and the 20th most populous state secured the 40th spot with a foreclosure rate of one in every 10,517 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Pepin, Kewaunee, Kenosha, Douglas, and Sauk.
39. Oregon
The 27th most populous state ranked 39th for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of the Pacific Wonderland’s 1,818,599 homes, 182 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 9,992 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lake, Klamath, Morrow, Crook, and Clatsop.
38. Alaska
The Last Frontier saw 34 foreclosures this month, making the foreclosure rate one in every 9,339 homes. This caused the third-least populous state, with a total of 317,529 housing units, to claim the 38th spot. The boroughs with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Southeast Fairbanks, Nome, Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, and Matanuska-Susitna.
37. Idaho
Ranked 38th in population, the Gem State received the 37th spot due to its 87 housing units that went into foreclosure this month. With 758,877 total housing units, the state’s foreclosure rate was one in every 8,723 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lincoln, Payette, Clearwater, Teton, and Caribou.
36. Mississippi
Ranked 34th in population, the Magnolia State experienced 161 foreclosures out of 1,324,992 total housing units. This puts the foreclosure rate at one in every 8,230 homes and into the 36th spot this month. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Clay, Greene, Copiah, Leflore, and Smith.
35. Arkansas
Listed as the 33rd most populous state, the Land of Opportunity ranked 35th for highest foreclosure rate this month. The state contains 1,371,709 housing units, of which 167 went into foreclosure, making its latest foreclosure rate one in every 8,214 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lincoln, Crittenden, Poinsett, Arkansas, and Jefferson.
34. Missouri
Coming in at 19th in population, the Show-Me State took the 34th spot for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of its 2,795,030 homes, 347 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 8,055 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Scott, Mississippi, Laclede, Henry, and Atchison.
33. New Hampshire
The Granite State, and the 41st most populous state in the U.S., ranked 33rd for highest foreclosure rate. New Hampshire saw 83 of its 640,335 homes go into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 7,715 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Belknap, Coos, Strafford, Cheshire, and Carroll.
32. Wyoming
The country’s least populous state claimed the 32nd spot for highest foreclosure rate this month. With 273,291 housing units, of which 37 went into foreclosure, the Equality State’s foreclosure rate was one in every 7,386 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Weston, Big Horn, Sweetwater, Campbell, and Carbon.
31. Tennessee
Ranked 16th in population, the Volunteer State endured 415 foreclosures out of its 3,050,850 housing units. This puts the foreclosure rate at one in every 7,351 households and in 31st place this month. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Meigs, Humphreys, Trousdale, Fentress, and Sequatchie.
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30. Virginia
With 518 homes going into foreclosure, the 12th most populous state ranked 30th for highest foreclosure rate in February. Having 3,625,285 total housing units, the Old Dominion saw a foreclosure rate of one in every 6,999 households. The counties and independent city with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Galax City, Lancaster, King William, Buckingham, and Appomattox.
29. Rhode Island
The eighth-least populous state placed 29th for highest foreclosure rate this month. A total of 72 homes went into foreclosure out of 483,053 total housing units, making the foreclosure rate for the Ocean State one in every 6,709 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Kent, Washington, Providence, Bristol, and Newport.
28. Maine
Ranked 42nd in population, the Pine Tree State placed 28th for highest foreclosure rate in February. With a total of 741,803 housing units, Maine saw 117 foreclosures for a foreclosure rate of one in every 6,340 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Oxford, Somerset, Penobscot, Knox, and Piscataquis.
27. Minnesota
Ranked 22nd for most populous state, the Land of 10,000 Lakes obtained the 27th spot for highest foreclosure rate in February. It has 2,493,956 housing units, of which 399 went into foreclosure, making the state’s foreclosure rate one in every 6,251 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Watonwan, Lake, Chisago, Faribault, and Sherburne.
26. North Carolina
The ninth-most populous state claimed 26th place for highest foreclosure rate. Out of 4,739,881 homes, 768 went into foreclosure. This puts the Tar Heel State’s foreclosure rate at one in every 6,172 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Gates, Perquimans, Northampton, Lee, and Jones.
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25. New Mexico
The 36th most populous state claimed the 25th spot for highest foreclosure rate this month. Of the Land of Enchantment’s 943,149 homes, 153 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 6,164 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Torrance, Catron, Eddy, Valencia, and Sandoval.
24. Arizona
Sorted as 14th in population, the Grand Canyon State withstood 524 foreclosures out of its total 3,097,768 housing units. This puts the foreclosure rate at one in every 5,912 homes and into the 24th spot for the second month in a row. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Pinal, Mohave, Cochise, Yuma, and Gila.
23. Oklahoma
The Sooners State landed the 23rd spot this month. With housing units totaling 1,751,802, the 28th most populous state saw 303 homes go into foreclosure at a rate of one in every 5,782 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Washita, Garfield, Canadian, Coal, and Le Flore.
22. Louisiana
Sorted as 25th in population, the Pelican State placed 22nd for highest foreclosure rate this month. Louisiana had a foreclosure rate of one in every 5,188 households, with 401 out of 2,080,371 homes going into foreclosure. The parishes with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): West Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa, Pointe Coupee, Livingston, and St. Bernard.
21. Kentucky
With a total of 1,999,202 housing units, the Bluegrass State saw 387 homes go into foreclosure, thus landing in 21st place this month. This puts the foreclosure rate for the 26th most populous state at one in every 5,166 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Greenup, Martin, Marshall, Jefferson, and Metcalfe.
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20. Utah
The Beehive State placed 20th for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of its 1,162,654 housing units, 236 homes went into foreclosure, making the 17th most populous state’s foreclosure rate one in every 4,927 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Beaver, Tooele, Weber, Box Elder, and Sevier.
19. Alabama
Listed as 24th in population, the Yellowhammer State came in 19th for highest foreclosure rate this month. Of its 2,296,920 homes, 483 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 4,756 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Conecuh, Talladega, Montgomery, Chambers, and Mobile.
18. Michigan
Ranked 10th in population, the Wolverine State secured the 18th spot with a foreclosure rate of one in every 4,549 homes. With a total of 4,580,447 housing units, the state had 1,007 foreclosure filings. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Calhoun, Oceana, Hillsdale, Lapeer, and Berrien.
17. Georgia
Ranked eighth in population, the Peach State took the 17th spot for highest foreclosure rate this month. Of its 4,426,780 homes, 989 were foreclosed on. This puts the state’s foreclosure rate at one in every 4,476 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lanier, Bleckley, Wheeler, Dawson, and Brooks.
16. Pennsylvania
The Keystone State had the 16th highest foreclosure rate in February. The fifth-most populous state saw 1,305 homes out of 5,753,908 total housing units go into foreclosure, making the state’s foreclosure rate one in every 4,409 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Philadelphia, Montgomery, Perry, Wyoming, and Columbia.
15. New York
With 1,947 out of a total 8,494,452 housing units going into foreclosure, the Empire State claimed the 15th spot this month yet again. The fourth-most populous state’s foreclosure rate was one in every 4,363 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Orange, Putnam, Nassau, Suffolk, and Richmond.
14. Massachusetts
The 15th most populous state ranked 14th for highest foreclosure rate this month. Of the Bay State’s 2,999,314 housing units, 695 went into foreclosure, making for a foreclosure rate of one in every 4,316 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Hampden, Plymouth, Berkshire, Worcester, and Bristol.
13. Texas
The Lone Star State withstood 2,894 foreclosures in February. With a foreclosure rate of one in every 4,027 households, this puts the second-most populous state in the U.S., with a whopping 11,654,971 housing units, into 13th place. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Liberty, Roberts, Armstrong, Hood, and Atascosa.
12. Iowa
The Hawkeye State had the 12th highest foreclosure rate this month. With 359 out of 1,417,064 homes going into foreclosure, the 31st most populous state’s foreclosure rate was one in every 3,947 homes. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Tama, Wayne, Page, Jones, and Davis.
11. Indiana
The 17th largest state by population, the Crossroads of America landed the 11th spot this month with a foreclosure rate of one in every 3,571 homes. Of its 2,931,710 housing units, 821 went into foreclosure. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Grant, Randolph, Fountain, Howard, and Madison.
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10. California
The country’s most populous state ranked 10th for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of its impressive 14,424,442 housing units, 4,079 went into foreclosure, making the Golden State’s foreclosure rate one in every 3,536 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lake, Calaveras, Trinity, Mendocino, and Shasta.
9. Maryland
Ranked 18th for most populous state, America in Miniature took ninth place for highest foreclosure rate in February. With a total of 2,531,075 housing units, of which 824 went into foreclosure, the state’s foreclosure rate was one in every 3,072 households. The counties and independent city with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Kent, Baltimore City, Caroline, Allegany, and Calvert.
8. Nevada
Ranked 32nd in population, the Silver State took the eighth spot for highest foreclosure rate this month. With one in every 3,068 homes going into foreclosure, and a total of 1,288,357 housing units, the state had 420 foreclosure filings. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Lincoln, Pershing, Clark, Lander, and Nye.
7. New Jersey
With a foreclosure rate of one in every 3,061 homes, the Garden State ranked seventh for highest foreclosure rate this month. The 11th most populous state contains 3,756,340 housing units, of which 1,227 went into foreclosure. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Salem, Warren, Gloucester, Sussex, and Camden.
6. Illinois
The Land of Lincoln claimed the sixth spot for highest foreclosure rate in February. Of its 5,427,357 homes, 1,839 went into foreclosure, making the sixth-most populous state’s foreclosure rate one in every 2,951 households. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Pulaski, Macoupin, Boone, Edgar, and Marshall.
5. Connecticut
With 531 of its 1,531,332 homes going into foreclosure, the Constitution State had the fifth highest foreclosure rate at one in every 2,884 households. In this 29th most populous state, the counties that had the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Windham, New Haven, Hartford, Litchfield, and Fairfield.
4. Ohio
The Buckeye State placed fourth in February with a foreclosure rate of one in every 2,828 homes. With a sum of 5,251,209 housing units, the seventh-most populous state had a total of 1,857 filings. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Muskingum, Marion, Highland, Ashtabula, and Crawford.
3. Florida
The third-most populous state in the country has a total of 9,915,957 housing units, of which 3,768 went into foreclosure. This puts the Sunshine State’s foreclosure rate at one in every 2,632 homes and into third place this month. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Osceola, Hamilton, Polk, Charlotte, and Baker.
2. Delaware
The sixth-least populous state in the country, the Small Wonder nabbed second place in February. With one in every 2,428 homes going into foreclosure and a total of 451,556 housing units, the state saw 186 foreclosures filed. Having only three counties in the state, the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): New Castle, Kent, and Sussex.
1. South Carolina
The 23rd most populous state had the highest foreclosure rate of all 50 states with one in every 2,248 homes going into foreclosure. Of the Palmetto State’s 2,362,253 housing units, 1,051 were foreclosed on this month. The counties with the most foreclosures per housing unit were (from highest to lowest): Barnwell, Marion, Richland, Orangeburg, and Dorchester.
The Takeaway
Of all 50 states, California had the most foreclosure filings (4,079), and North Dakota had the least (13). As for the states with the highest foreclosure rates, South Carolina, Delaware, and Florida took the top three spots, respectively.
The Mideast region had the largest presence among the 10 states that ranked the highest for foreclosure rates. These states were (from highest to lowest): Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.
The Plains region had the largest presence among the 10 states that ranked the lowest for foreclosure rates. These states were (from highest to lowest): Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
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