Whatcom County bankruptcy filings dropped significantly in January, according to new data from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Last month Whatcom County tallied 36 bankruptcies, the second lowest monthly total in nearly five years. It's down from 63 in January 2012, according to the data from the Western District Court in Seattle.

Total filings for the western district, including the Tacoma court, were 1,639 last month, up 3 percent compared to January 2012.

Reach Business Editor Dave Gallagher at 360-715-2269 or dave.gallagher@bellinghamherald.com. Read his business blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/business or follow him on Twitter at @bhamheraldbiz.