Economic stress levels were at all time high last December, signaling rising bankruptcy, insolvency and foreclosure. This peak in economic stress was largely due to the economic strain on the Western states, fueled by financial woes in areas such as San Diego, the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

The Associated Press's Stress Index rates stress levels between 1 and 100, taking into factors such as a county's unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates. A county is generally considered to be under stress when its score is greater than 11.

According to the AP Stress Index, nearly 45 percent of counties within the United States were considered "stressed" in December, with Nevada leading the pack in bankruptcy and insolvency rates.

Unlike many of the other states, however, California saw its stress level go down from November to December. California had a December stress level of 16.25.

Bankruptcy rates for the second half of 2009 had grown fastest in Nevada, Arizona and California. San Diego bankruptcy attorneys place the blame on the housing market, especially as they see a trend of higher-income earners now coming in to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

A Florida economist places the blame on unemployment.

"Consistently high unemployment continues to feed into the foreclosure problem," he said. "We've already got significant foreclosures taking place already. Now, more traditional ones are taking place because one or more household members have lost their jobs."

Whatever the explanation is, the economic crisis is still far from being over and San Diego bankruptcy attorneys are helping clients navigate through the uncertainty that lies ahead.

It may be several years before the economic stress indicators show San Diego county to be "stress free".