The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on residential properties in Massachusetts was 7.64 percent at the end of the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 29 basis points from the third quarter of 2013, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

The percentage of loans in Massachusetts on which foreclosure was started during the quarter fell 10 basis points to 0.21 percent, while the percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the quarter fell 33 basis points to 2.12 percent.

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Massachusetts ranked 15th in delinquencies and 50th in foreclosures started. Mississippi ranked first in delinquencies with a rate of 11.52 percent and Maryland ranked first in foreclosure starts with a rate of 1.02 percent.

On a national level, the delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties was 6.71 percent on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, up four basis points from 6.67 percent in the third quarter of 2013. The seasonally adjusted delinquency rate on residential properties was 6.39 percent in the third quarter, down 2 basis points from last quarter’s seasonally adjusted rate. The non-seasonally adjusted percentage of loans on which foreclosure was started during the quarter decreased seven basis points to 0.54 percent, while the non-seasonally adjusted percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the quarter decreased 22 basis points to 2.86 percent.

The delinquency rate for prime adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) loans decreased 30 basis points to 7.00 percent and the rate for prime fixed rate mortgage loans increased 2 basis points to 4.27 percent. The delinquency rate for the subprime ARM loans increased 89 basis points to 27.72 percent, while the rate for subprime fixed rate loans increased 70 basis points to 26.63 percent. The delinquency rates for FHA and VA loans were 12.17 percent and 6.60 percent, respectively-up 86 basis points for FHA loans and up 48 basis points for VA loans.