10 States Where Foreclosures Are Most Common

Foreclosures Are Back Down

Despite a flurry of activity in October, the share of U.S. residential properties in foreclosure dropped in November, keeping with a 14-month trend of year-over-year declines in foreclosure filings. One in every 1,533 housing units was in some state of foreclosure last month, an 18% decline from October and a 17% year-over-year decline from November 2015, according to real estate-focused ATTOM Data Solutions.

10 States With the Highest Foreclosure Rates

Much of that decline was driven by a drop in foreclosure starts, meaning a smaller share of homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments. (ATTOM defines a foreclosure as a property with a notice of default, scheduled auction or bank repossession, though processes vary by state.)

Missing a mortgage payment can seriously damage your credit score — a foreclosure is even worse — so as soon as you realize you might have trouble making payments, adjust your financial behaviors if possible and reach out to your lender for help. You can read more about how to save your home from foreclosure here, and you can keep an eye on how your mortgage affects your credit by reviewing a free summary of your credit report, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com.

In all, 32 states reported a decline in foreclosure activity since last November, including many of the states with consistently high foreclosure rates. Still, foreclosures are very common in the following 10 states.

10. Pennsylvania

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 1,246 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 18.31% (was No. 9)
Change from November 2015: up 0.25% (was No. 13)

9. New Mexico

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 1,147 housing units
Change from October 2016: up 2.86% (was No. 14)
Change from November 2015: up 46.21% (was No. 22)

8. Ohio

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 1,055 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 11.83% (was No. 8)
Change from November 2015: down 3.68% (was No. 7)

7. Illinois

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 1,038 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 32.17% (was No. 4)
Change from November 2015: down 17.11% (was No. 5)

6. Florida

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 991 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 9.75% (was No. 7)
Change from November 2015: down 32.89% (was No. 3)

5. Maryland

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 981 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 30.83% (was No. 3)
Change from November 2015: down 47.18% (was No. 1)

4. Connecticut

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 969 housing units
Change from October 2016: up 20.06% (was No. 12)
Change from November 2015: up 22.45% (was No. 11)

3. Nevada

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 793 housing units
Change from October 2016: up 4.11% (was No. 6)
Change from November 2015: down 2.23% (was No. 4)

2. Delaware

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 792 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 55.14% (was No. 1)
Change from November 2015: up 53.1% (was No. 12)

1. New Jersey

November 2016 foreclosure rate: 1 in every 598 housing units
Change from October 2016: down 5.73% (was No. 2)
Change from November 2015: down 7.41% (was No. 2)