One in every 1,882 homes in the U.S. is in foreclosure, according to August 2018 data from RealtyTrac. That’s nine percent higher than the total in July but seven percent lower than the same time last year.
In some states, the numbers are much higher than the national average. In New Jersey, for instance, one in every 685 homes is in foreclosure. But most states are below the average, some of them significantly so.
Here are the 25 states with the lowest foreclosure rates and how they compare to the national average.
25. Texas
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,589 homes; 0.039%
73% of the national average
24. Rhode Island
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,628 homes; 0.038%
72% of the national average
23. Tennessee
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,734 homes; 0.037%
69% of the national average
22. Arizona
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,834 homes; 0.035%
66% of the national average
21. Oregon
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,838 homes; 0.035%
66% of the national average
20. Hawaii
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,934 homes; 0.034%
64% of the national average
19. Michigan
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 2,976 homes; 0.034%
63% of the national average
18. Wisconsin
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,057 homes; 0.033%
62% of the national average
17. Kentucky
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,064 homes; 0.033%
61% of the national average
16. Arkansas
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,130 homes; 0.032%
60% of the national average
15. Kansas
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,184 homes; 0.031%
59% of the national average
14. Iowa
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,193 homes; 0.031%
59% of the national average
13. Minnesota
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,368 homes; 0.03%
56% of the national average
12. Wyoming
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,653 homes; 0.027%
52% of the national average
11. Mississippi
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,735 homes; 0.027%
50% of the national average
10. Colorado
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 3,879 homes; 0.026%
49% of the national average
9. Idaho
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 4,037 homes; 0.025%
47% of the national average
8. New Hampshire
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 4,047 homes; 0.025%
47% of the national average
7. Washington
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 4,214 homes; 0.024%
45% of the national average
6. Nebraska
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 4,821 homes; 0.08%
39% of the national average
5. Montana
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 6,713 homes; 0.021%
39% of the national average
4. West Virginia
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 7,104 homes; 0.014%
26% of the national average
3. Vermont
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 7,688 homes; 0.013%
24% of the national average
2. North Dakota
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 17,090 homes; 0.006%
11% of the national average
1. South Dakota
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 26,121 homes; 0.004%
7% of the national average
With all the foreclosures on the market, you may be interested in buying one. Before you do that, you’ll want to read this foreclosure buying guide. If, on the other hand, your house is in foreclosure or you’re experiencing other financial hardships, you’ll want to read this guide to how long negative items stay on your credit report.
[If you’re house hunting, your credit needs to be in good shape. Find and fix errors on your credit report with Upturn Credit’s FREE tool.]