AP: Nevada has most Economic Stress in March

Although recent analysis by the Associated Press shows some people in Nevada may have been able to avoid foreclosure, the state still remains the most economically stressed in the country.

Although recent analysis by the Associated Press shows some people in Nevada may have been able to avoid foreclosure, the state still remains the most economically stressed in the country.

The news organization's Economic Stress Index is based on a number of factors, including unemployment, foreclosure and people filing bankruptcy. On its scale of one to 100, a score above 11 indicates an area is experiencing hardship.

With a score of 21.3, Nevada ranked first in the AP's index for March, while California also came in high at 17.21.

Nevada's first-place finish came despite the fact the foreclosure rate improved for the state, according to the AP. Meanwhile, RealtyTrac.com recently reported that the state has two metro areas in the top 20 for foreclosure rates during the first quarter.

At 3.51 percent, Las Vegas had the highest foreclosure rate in the country. That metro area saw 28,480 houses face a filing in the first quarter, an increase of 13 percent over the final quarter of 2009.

While stress remained high in Nevada, the AP noted that 38 other states saw economic hardships decline or remain steady between February and March. Performance nationally was connected to improvements in unemployment