Foreclosures in Massachusetts decreased in 2009 over the prior year. There was a total of 36,119 properties with foreclosure filings. That works out to a rate of one filing for every 75 households, which compares to the United States average of 45, and is a little more than one percent of the state's housing units.
Massachusetts is the 15th largest U.S. state by population, with 6,593,587 people (in 2009). Its 10,555 square miles make it the 44th largest state by area. Median household income in 2008 was $65,401.
Massachusetts's biggest economic sectors are educational and health services, import-export, transportation and utilities. Those are followed by financial and professional services. Massachusetts used to be significant manufacturing and textile hub, but those industries now constitute less than 10 percent of the state's economy. The leading agricultural products are seafood and dairy, and Massachusetts is also the country's second biggest cranberry producer. The state's highly regarded colleges and universities have given rise to a burgeoning tech sector.