Foreclosure Statistics 2026: Filings, Delinquency Rates & Trends
Foreclosure filings are rising for the third consecutive year, but the real signal is where they're coming from — and which borrowers are slipping first. Federal data from ATTOM, CoreLogic, the MBA, the NY Fed, and the Federal Reserve, updated quarterly.
Last updated: 2026-03-23
What Are the Current Foreclosure Statistics?
Foreclosure filings changed 32.0% year-over-year as of 2026-Q1. The FHA mortgage delinquency rate stands at 11.5%, roughly 6.5x the conventional rate of 1.8%. The overall serious delinquency rate across all household debt is 3.1%.
The gap between FHA and conventional delinquency is the defining feature of today's foreclosure landscape — what the ADI calls the two-economy problem. Aggregate statistics that blend both loan types understate the distress concentrated among lower-income and first-time borrowers while overstating risk among borrowers who are performing well. For the full FHA vs. conventional breakdown, see mortgage delinquency statistics.
At a Glance
The American Distress Index currently reads 59.0 (Elevated). Foreclosure filings and mortgage delinquency feed the ADI's Debt Stress component — the signal that tells us whether missed payments are becoming permanent losses. When this component rises alongside deteriorating savings buffers, the historical pattern points to escalation.
Foreclosure Filings
U.S. foreclosure filings rose 32.0% year-over-year in 2026-Q1, according to ATTOM Data Solutions. That extends the acceleration from the 14% annual increase reported in 2025. ATTOM counted 367,460 properties with foreclosure filings last year — starts up 14%, bank repossessions up 27%.
The filing volumes themselves are still a fraction of what the country processed during the 2008-2012 wave. But volumes are the wrong metric. The signal is velocity: three consecutive quarters of accelerating year-over-year growth. During the financial crisis, the largest annual increase was 185.0% in 2022 — a rate reached only after years of building pressure.
Foreclosure Filings: Year-over-Year Change
Source: ATTOM Data Solutions. Positive values indicate more filings than the same period one year prior.
Full data and trend: Foreclosure Filings indicator page
FHA Mortgage Delinquency
The FHA mortgage delinquency rate reached 11.5% in 2025-Q4, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association National Delinquency Survey. This is the highest level since Q2 2021 and nearly 6.5x the conventional mortgage delinquency rate of 1.8%.
The FHA population is the canary. These borrowers — lower-income, first-time, thinner-buffered — become delinquent earlier than conventional borrowers when conditions deteriorate. Before the 2008 crisis, FHA delinquency rose 6-9 quarters ahead of conventional rates. The current reading puts FHA distress at roughly 6.5x the conventional rate, a gap that has been widening since mid-2024.
FHA Mortgage Delinquency Rate
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association National Delinquency Survey.
Full data and trend: The FHA Signal indicator page
Mortgage Delinquency Rate (All Loans, 90+ Days)
The delinquency rate on single-family residential mortgages (90+ days past due) stood at 1.8% in 2025-Q4, according to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors via FRED. This rate has been stable throughout 2025, hovering near historic lows.
The contrast with FHA rates is the point. Aggregate mortgage delinquency data — the number cited in most headlines — blends FHA and conventional loans together. At 1.8% overall, the mortgage market looks stable. Disaggregate it, and you find FHA borrowers defaulting at nearly 6.5x the rate of conventional borrowers. National averages are obscuring a concentrated stress pattern. For context, this rate peaked at 11.5% during the 2008-2010 crisis.
Mortgage Delinquency Rate (90+ Days, All Loans)
Source: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System via FRED (DRSFRMACBS).
Full data and trend: Mortgage Delinquency indicator page
Serious Delinquency Rate (90+ Days, All Household Debt)
The share of all household debt balances 90+ days delinquent rose to 3.1% in 2025-Q4, according to the NY Fed Household Debt and Credit Report. This includes mortgage, credit card, auto loan, and student loan balances.
Credit card and auto loan delinquencies are driving the increase, not mortgages — a sequence the ADI's leading indicator framework anticipated. Buffer depletion hits unsecured debt first (credit cards), moves to secured non-housing debt (auto loans), and eventually reaches mortgage payments. The current trajectory tracks the pre-GFC pattern at an earlier stage. If you are falling behind, act before your lender files.
Serious Delinquency Rate (90+ Days, All Balances)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Household Debt and Credit Report.
Full data and trend: Serious Delinquency Rate indicator page
Early-Stage Delinquency Transitions
The rate of mortgages transitioning from current to early-stage delinquency (first missed payment) was 0.7% in 2025-09, according to CoreLogic (Cotality). This is a leading indicator of future foreclosure activity: borrowers who miss their first payment are statistically more likely to become seriously delinquent within 12-18 months.
The geographic pattern tells a parallel story. CoreLogic reported that 39% of metro areas saw rising foreclosure rates year-over-year as of September 2025 — up from just 8% a year earlier. Distress is spreading geographically even as national averages remain misleadingly calm — a pattern mirrored in state-level consumer debt data, where Sun Belt and Southern states carry the heaviest burden.
Full data and trend: First Missed indicator page
Foreclosure Pipeline (Starts vs. Completions)
The foreclosure starts-to-completions ratio was 4.75 at the end of 2025, down from 6.55 a year earlier, according to ATTOM Data Solutions.
A ratio above 1.0 means the active caseload is growing — more households entering the pipeline than exiting. At 4.75, five new cases start for every one that resolves. The ratio has declined from 6.55 a year ago, but the structural backlog from the pandemic moratorium era, combined with recent filing acceleration, keeps the pipeline elevated. If you are in this pipeline, act now to explore forbearance and modification options — early intervention dramatically improves outcomes.
Full data and trend: The Pipeline indicator page
Data Sources and Methodology
ATTOM Data Solutions
Foreclosure filing counts including default notices, lis pendens, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions. Covers all 50 states. Updated monthly and quarterly.
MBA National Delinquency Survey
Quarterly survey of mortgage servicers covering approximately 27 million loans. Provides FHA and conventional delinquency breakdowns by days past due.
NY Fed / Federal Reserve
Serious delinquency rate from the NY Fed Household Debt and Credit Report (Equifax 5% sample). Conventional delinquency from Federal Reserve Board bank call reports via FRED.
Foreclosure and delinquency metrics feed the ADI's Debt Stress component — one of five weighted factors in the composite score. When delinquencies persist long enough, they produce bankruptcy filings — the terminal confirmation of household failure. The full methodology is detailed on the methodology page. Servicer behavior plays a role: Ocwen/Onity Group (34,700+ CFPB complaints), Specialized Loan Servicing, and Select Portfolio Servicing consistently rank among the most-complained-about servicers for foreclosure-related issues. See all 76 servicer profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current foreclosure rate in the United States?
Foreclosure filings changed 32.0% year-over-year as of 2026-Q1, according to ATTOM Data Solutions. The conventional mortgage delinquency rate (90+ days) is 1.8%, while the FHA delinquency rate is 11.5%. The overall serious delinquency rate across all household debt is 3.1%.
Are foreclosures increasing in 2026?
Foreclosure filings have been rising for three consecutive years. ATTOM reported 367,460 properties with filings in the most recent annual count, with starts up 14% and bank repossessions up 27%. Filing volumes remain well below the 2008-2012 crisis peak, but the rate of acceleration is the key signal — not the absolute number.
What causes foreclosures?
Foreclosures result from sustained inability to make mortgage payments, leading to default. Common triggers include job loss, medical expenses, divorce, adjustable-rate resets, and rising cost of living that erodes household buffers. The ADI tracks how these pressures compound: savings depletion typically leads debt delinquency by 6-9 quarters.
How does FHA delinquency compare to conventional mortgage delinquency?
FHA-insured mortgages carry a delinquency rate of 11.5% — roughly 6.5x the conventional rate of 1.8%. FHA borrowers are typically first-time buyers with smaller down payments and thinner financial cushions, making them more vulnerable to income disruptions and cost increases.
Where can I find state-level foreclosure data?
American Default publishes foreclosure law guides for all 50 states at americandefault.org/help/laws/, including timelines, redemption rights, and deficiency rules. State-level consumer debt data is available at americandefault.org/statistics/consumer-debt-by-state/. Individual indicator pages provide downloadable JSON data via the API.