NPR put together some useful interactive maps on the current economy and broken the data down by counties.

Here some data on Ventura County:

• Houses in Foreclosure: 1 in 239
• Unemployment Rate: 1 in 10.6 (out of 429,135 laborers)
• Median Income: $77,539

Link to the Interactive Map: Economy Where You Live

Here is some Census Data for Ventura County as well:

• The population grew by 9.3% to 823,318
• High school graduates: 82.3% (80.5% for the state of CA)
• Bachelors Degree: 30.3% (29.7% for the state of CA)
• Home ownership rate: 67.7% (57.9% for the state of CA)
• Below poverty line: 10.5% (14.2% for the state of CA)

Ventura County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

Other Notable Articles:

• How long do you need to wait after a short sale or foreclosure to buy?
• The Real Estate Cycle
• [Video] Buy vs Rent Comparison
• Reasons to Buy a House