A look at Cleveland's mortgage crisis by the numbers

CLEVELAND - Here is a look at Cleveland by the numbers as it faces a housing crisis resulting from job losses and borrowers` inability to repay high-interest loans.

In Cleveland:
- 30 percent of borrowers have defaulted on their home loans.
- 70,000 homes were foreclosed in 2007, compared to 15,000 en 2006.
- 10,745 out of 84,000 single-family homes are empty.
- Home sales by auction have risen nearly six-fold from 1,626 in 2000 to 9,632 in 2007.
- House prices fell 10 percent in 2007.
- Residents` average debt is around 50,000 dollars.
- 27 percent of the population lives below the poverty line (around 20,000 dollars per year for a family of four).
- The unemployment rate is six percent, compared to five percent nationally.
- The population has declined from 950,000 at its peak to 450,000 today.

Sources: local anti-foreclosure groups, the sheriff`s department, consumer council and other officials.

01/27/2008 04:10 GMT