Negative Equity on Nearly One-Fifth of U.S. Homes

About one out of every five homes in America is worth less than what is still owed on its mortgage. The highest rates of negative equity are in Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Florida and California.

1 minute read

March 6, 2009, 7:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"As of December, 19.8% of mortgage holders nationwide had negative equity in their houses, according to a new report by loan-tracker First American CoreLogic. That tally, which takes into account both first and second mortgages, represents 8.3 million homeowners, 700,000 more than when the firm checked in September."

"The trend is particularly disturbing because of its implications for foreclosures. As house prices continue to decline and more people find themselves paying mortgages above the value of their properties, the risk increases that they'll start walking away in droves."

"According to the First American CoreLogic report, the states with the highest percentage of negative-equity borrowers are the usual suspects. After Nevada (55.1%) and Michigan (40%), Arizona (31.8%), Florida (30.3%) and California (29.5%) round out the top five. Those statewide averages, though, mask a lot of local variation. One pattern: exurbs, where homes are newer and loans more likely to have been signed during the bubble years, are harder hit."

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 in Time

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

April 28 - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee