The number of Hawaii residents filing for bankruptcy fell to 245 in January, an 11.2 percent drop from the same month a year ago.

The January total was the lowest since November 2009 when 219 cases were filed.

However, the number of filings was still considerably higher than in the years preceding the recession and financial crisis that rocked the U.S. economy in 2008 and 2009. Bankruptcy filings averaged 80 a month in 2006 and 115 a month in 2007.

Honolulu County topped the list in January with 141 filings. There were 49 filings in Maui County, 39 in Hawaii County and 16 in Kauai County.

Statewide there were 213 Chapter 7 cases and 61 Chapter 13 cases filed in January.