Top 5 Florida Counties With The Highest Foreclosures
Here are Foreclosure Defense Network’s take on the top 5 Florida Counties with the highest foreclosures. They are ranked by foreclosure rates (filings per housing unit) from the most recent data. We prioritized counties mentioned across sources for consistency. ATTOM’s September 2025 report calls out Hardee, Highlands, and Osceola as standouts in Florida. While earlier 2024 data from Resimpli and Bay News 9 points to Polk as a national leader. Miami-Dade makes the list for sheer volume of filings. Although it’s rate isn’t the absolute highest. Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate, so check ATTOM for the freshest updates.
Polk County (Including Lakeland Area)
This one’s been topping charts for awjhile. Resimpli reports Lakeland had the highest rate nationwide in 2024 at 1 in every 172 housing units. By September 2025, Florida’s overall trends suggest it’s still a hotspot. This due to its population growth pushing up prices and rising insurance woes.
Total filings here contribute heavily to the state’s numbers. Polk County is seeing a cooling market where homes were selling slower with prices dropping 4.4%. If you’re in Polk, that’s about 4,621 total Florida filings feeding into this.
Osceola County
ATTOM’s September data highlights Osceola as one of Florida’s worst counties for foreclosures. Safeguard Properties has ranked it in the national top 10 for foreclosures since July 2024. Osceola has one foreclosure every 1,509 units. Osceola is feeling sqeezed by tied Central Florida’s growth pressures and the strains of the economy. Compared to the state average of 1 in 2,182, Osceola County’s rate is notably higher. Thus, this makes it a focal point for foreclosure starts (Florida had over 29,000 starts in 2024 per Newsweek).
Hardee County
Straight from ATTOM’s latest: Hardee is flagged as a top performer (in a bad way) for Florida in September 2025. Rural areas like this often see spikes from affordability issues—think smaller populations but higher per-unit impacts. It’s part of the broader trend where Florida tied with New Jersey for the nation’s highest rate. Newsweek shows Florida and New Jersey foreclosure filings were 1 in 267 units overall in 2024. Not as urban as Miami-Dade, but the rates here punch above their weight.
Highlands County
Another ATTOM standout for September 2025, Highlands mirrors Hardee with elevated rates in Florida’s heartland. These counties are dealing with similar vibes: insurance hikes post-hurricanes and slower real estate turnover. Experts tie this to statewide jumps after 2024 hurricanes. This caused Florida’s foreclosure numbers to spike 250%.
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade leads the pack with the most filings in Florida just by sheer volume. Newsweek lists it alongside Broward and Palm Beach as top spots for December 2024 foreclosure activity. The three counties had 2,652 total state filings that month. While its rate might not edge out rural counties, the raw numbers are huge. BizJournals notes it had among the most foreclosures last year, fueled by hurricane aftermath and market cooling.
Why Are Foreclosures Rising in These Areas?
Diving deeper, these foreclosure rates not just random. Several factors are at play across these counties. For starters, Florida’s labor market is strong. So job loss isn’t the main driver. Instead, experts blame skyrocketing homeowner insurance rates. Insurance rates have jumped 30-50%. This makes it harder for homeowners who escrow their taxes and insurance to make their monthly payments. In addition, inventory is up 54.8% and prices are down. Thus, sellers can’t always cover their mortgages.
Nationally, foreclosures are up 20% year-over-year (ATTOM), but Florida’s leading the pack. Compared to 2023, September 2025 saw a 19% drop in filings overall, but Florida bucked that with increases. If we look back, Q1 2024 had 95,349 U.S. properties in foreclosure. Yet, Florida’s share is growing.
