Massachusetts inched into the top half of all states in the first six months of this year in terms of total foreclosure filings, as filings nationwide increased more than 15 percent from January through June compared to the same period last year, according to RealtyTrac.

The Bay State ranked 23rd in the country, with 18,458 total properties with some kind of foreclosure filing in the first half, a rate of one filing for every 147 housing units. The number of filings in Massachusetts in the first half actually fell 43.73 percent compared to last year, but rose 6.2 percent compared to the second half of 2008, according to the RealtyTrac data.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 336,173 U.S. properties in June, the fourth straight monthly total exceeding 300,000, helping to boost the second quarter total to the highest quarterly total since RealtyTrac began issuing its report in the first quarter of 2005. Foreclosure filings were reported on 889,829 U.S. properties in the second quarter, an increase of nearly 11 percent from the previous quarter and a 20 percent increase from the second quarter of 2008.

"In spite of the industry-wide moratorium earlier this year, along with local, state and national legislative action and increased levels of loan modification activity, foreclosure activity continues to increase to record levels," noted James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. "Unemployment-related foreclosures account for much of this increased activity, and the high number of borrowers who find themselves owing more on their mortgages than their homes’ are now worth represent a potentially significant future risk. Stemming the tide of foreclosures is a critical component to stabilizing the housing market, so it is imperative that the lending industry and the government work in tandem to find new approaches to address this issue."