TAMPA - The Tampa Bay metro area saw a decrease in foreclosure activity in August despite statewide increases, according to data released Thursday by California-based RealtyTrac.

The area had 5,810 filings in August, or 1 in 226 households. That's a decrease of 14 percent from July but still up 10 percent from a year ago. Filings in the metro area, which as defined by RealtyTrac includes Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, ranked 40th among 200 large metro areas.

The state as a whole, however, didn't get any relief.

Florida had the second-highest foreclosure rate in the nation, up from fourth in July. There were 62,401 filings - including default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - in August. That's 1 in 140 households.

The number of filings in Florida rose 10 percent from July and nearly 42 percent from the year-ago period.

"The volume of foreclosures are so backlogged in some areas in Florida that occasionally you'll see a jump when the court catches up," said Daren Blomquist, spokesman for RealtyTrac.

Two Florida metro areas documented foreclosure rates among the top 10. The Orlando-Kissimmee area ranked No. 8, with 1 in 87 households receiving a foreclosure filing. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers area ranked No. 9, with 1in 88 households affected.

There were 358,471 filings nationwide, a decrease of less than 1 percent from July and an increase of nearly 18 percent from August 2008. One in 357 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing during the month.

Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7804