Portland, Ore.
Percent increase: 87%
National rank: 61st
Unemployment rate: 10.8%
For a long time, the housing bust failed to reach the far Northwest. But it was just a delay: In the past year there has been a big run up in foreclosures, particularly in Portland.
One big reason is that the state and metro area are more dependent than most on the housing industry. Much of Oregon's economy is manufacturing based -- including lumber and other construction products -- so when homebuilding started falling nationwide, many Oregon workers lost their jobs.
In addition, Portland had its own mini-boom in home prices during 2004 through 2006, according to Don Gladson, a broker with Coldwell Banker Seal in Portland. "Prices went way above where they should have been," he said.
When home prices dropped in the bust, many borrowers were left owing more on their mortgages than their homes were worth. Gladson estimated that half the borrowers in Portland are now underwater.
"It was a double whammy," said Tom Potiowsky, Oregon's state economist. "But the sluggish economy is the bigger whammy."
NEXT: Green Bay, Wisc.
