As the snow and temperatures begin to fall in Rochester and Western New York, so do the number of bankruptcy filings. While research indicates that one in every 70 households in the U.S. files for bankruptcy, the Western New York region is experiencing a decrease in filings.

Just in October, Rochester area bankruptcy filings saw a 13% drop. Data from the Rochester division of the federal courts’ Western District of New York shows 121 filed bankruptcy cases filed during the month in Rochester, a drop of 18 compared to the exact same month last year.

The number of bankruptcy filings for October in the Buffalo area also saw sharp decreases, dropping by nearly 100 from 2013. According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of New York, only 298 bankruptcies were filed in Buffalo last month, marking a 23.8% decrease from last year’s number of 391.

October’s declines mark a growing trend that has seen bankruptcy filings continuing to steadily drop on an almost monthly basis over the past two years. As of October 31, the total number of new bankruptcy filings in Western New York was down by 287 cases, falling from 1,695 to 1,408 within the first 10 months of 2013.

The 17-county district, which includes the large Rochester metropolitan area, recorded a total of 419 bankruptcy filings between October 1 and October 31. That’s a year-to-year decline of a whopping 20.9%.

The region also saw a decline in the number of businesses filing for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcies, the majority of which were consumer-debt related. During the month of October, 93 Rochester-area petitioners filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, while 28 filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. No businesses filed for Chapter 11, which provides court protection from creditors.

The businesses that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy are required to sell their assets, to create a fund which will be used to creditors what they owned. In no-asset filings, debts are excused and creditors receive no payback. On the other hand, Chapter 13 filers make an arrangement with creditors to pay a portion or all of the debts owed, in installments of up to 60 months.

The decrease in bankruptcy filings can be attributed to a stronger, if not thriving, post-recession economy. The holiday spending forecast for this holiday season is a positive one, with experts estimating the highest number of sales in nearly six years. The financial landscape for both consumers and businesses has improved dramatically, allowing both to better manage their debts and finances.