Counties were considered more or less at-risk based on its housing affordability, underwater mortgages, and possible foreclosure. All 570 counties in the United States were ranked from lowest to highest based on a combination of these three categories.
The rest of the top 50 most at-risk are sprawled across East Coast states, while the only western counties included were Shasta County and Humboldt Country in California.
Meanwhile, counties that are least vulnerable are concentrated in the South and Midwest.
“The Q3 patterns emerged as the national housing market remained super-heated, continuing its decade-long boom, even as other major sectors of the economy only gradually rebounded from damage caused by the pandemic in early 2020,” the statement read. “Median single-family home prices continued soaring more than 10% on an annual basis across much of the country during Q3 of this year, as homeowner equity kept improving.”
Read more: The 5 best counties in California for buying an affordable home