AP Analysis: US Economic Stress Eased In February

According to this Associated Press analysis, many counties are seeing some welcome economic improvement. "Thanks to lower unemployment and fewer bankruptcies, the nation's economic stress edged down in February as all but five states strengthened from January, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis." Unemployment declined or remained the same in more than three-quarters of the nation's 3,141 counties and in 43 states, the AP's Economic Stress Index showed. "Bankruptcies declined in more than half the counties and in 41 states. Still, foreclosures rose in more than half the counties and in 27 states.The AP's index calculates a score from 1 to 100 based on unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates," the article states. The average county's stress score in February was 11, down from 11.2 in January. A year ago, the average score was 11.8. Under a rough rule of thumb, a county is considered stressed when its score exceeds 11. The article also quotes NACo commenting on why state capital counties tend to be doing better than others.