Nebraska's Home Mortgage Delinquency Rates Near Lowest in the Na - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Upper Great Plains states have the lowest home mortgage delinquency rates in the nation.

Homeowners around the country who took on mortgages well after the housing bubble burst are doing a better job keeping up with payments. Credit reporting agency TransUnion says the trend is helping bring down the U.S. mortgage delinquency rate to the lowest level in four years.

The percentage of mortgage holders at least two months behind on payments fell to 5.19 percent in the last three months of 2012. That's down nearly 14 percent since the last three months of 2011.

North Dakota's delinquency rate was 1.53 percent; South Dakota's 1.97 percent; and Nebraska's and Alaska's 2.20 percent.

The late-payment rate has improved because of several factors, including rising home prices and low interest rates.