The number of Hawaii residents and businesses filing for bankruptcy fell in February for the 24th consecutive month, according to data released today by U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

The 168 cases filed in February represented an 25 percent decrease from the 224 cases filed the same month a year earlier, the court reported. Bankruptcy filings have been trending lower since peaking at an average 330 a month in 2010 in the midst of an economic downturn.

Bankruptcies fell in all counties. In Honolulu County the number of cases fell to 106 in February, a 17 percent drop from 127 the same month last year. In Hawaii County filings fell 53 percent to 27 cases and in Maui County they fell 43 percent to 27 cases. Filings fell  39 percent in Kauai County, to eight cases.