Foreclosures in Maine increased in 2009 over the prior year. There was a total of 3,178 properties with foreclosure filings. That works out to a rate of one filing for every 219 households, which compares to the United States average of 45, and is a little less than one half of one percent of the state's housing units.
Maine is the 40th largest U.S. state by population, with 1,318,301 people (in 2009). Its 35,385 square miles make it the 39th largest state by area. Median household income in 2008 was $46,581.
Maine continues to recover from a huge manufacturing exodus that occurred mainly in the 1980's. While other states have amassed technology jobs to replace assembly-line work, today Maine's leding economic activity comes from government and financial services. The state also is renowned for its seafood, particularly lobsters and clams, but those industries make up a very small part of the economy. Maine is also the biggest blueberry producer in the U.S.
