LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Ohio had one of the nation's highest foreclosure rates last month as banks stepped up their actions against homeowners behind on their mortgage payments.

Foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday that the number of U.S. homes that received an initial default notice - the first step in the foreclosure process - jumped 33 percent in August from July.

The increase represents a nine-month high and the biggest monthly gain in four years.

Ohio had the nation's 11th highest foreclosure rate in August, with one out of every 518 households receiving any type of foreclosure-related notice.

In all, 228,098 U.S. homes received a foreclosure-related notice last month, a 7 percent increase from July but down nearly 33 percent from August of last year.