National ranking · FY2024 · AOUSC

States with the Highest Chapter 13 Filing Rate

All states ranked by reported Chapter 13 filings per 100,000 residents.

197.9
Leader: Tennessee: 57.7
Median state: 51
Jurisdictions: 7.9×
Top-to-bottom spread

Data updated August 2026

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC), 485,341 bankruptcy cases were filed across the federal judicial districts in fiscal year 2024. The rankings below divide each state's filings by its U.S. Census Bureau population to compare jurisdictions on a like-for-like, per-100,000-resident basis. See our methodology for how every rate is calculated. This rate measures reported filing activity relative to population, not financial wellbeing or legal eligibility. The ranking cannot establish why states differ or predict an individual outcome.

The bottom line

Tennessee leads with 197.9 per 100k, about 7.9× the rate of South Dakota (24.9). South Dakota is the #51 bottom of this complete jurisdiction list. The median state sits near 57.7.

197.9
Tennessee (highest): 24.9
South Dakota (lowest): 57.7
median jurisdiction: 7.9×
spread between extremes

Per 100,000 residents · 51 jurisdictions · FY2024 · AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

What This Ranking Tells Us

This board compares reported Chapter 13 filings per 100,000 residents in the selected fiscal year. It does not determine eligibility, explain a particular filing, or recommend a legal course. Use it as a descriptive comparison of the AOUSC filing records and consult the source and methodology for the calculation.

The map view

Every jurisdiction shaded by its per 100k - darker is higher. Select a state for its full profile.

Per 100K by state, FY2024. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau (population).

AK ME

VT NH

WA ID MT ND MN IL WI MI NY MA

OR UT WY SD IA IN OH PA NJ CT RI

CA NV CO NE MO KY WV VA MD DE

AZ NM KS AR TN NC SC DC

OK LA MS AL GA

HI TX FL

Scale: 25–60 60–94 94–129 129–163 163–198

View all 51 states as a list

#	State	Per 100K
1	Tennessee	197.9
2	Georgia	197.2
3	Alabama	181.1
4	Mississippi	162.8
5	Louisiana	115.6
6	Oklahoma	107.2
7	South Carolina	99.7
8	Kentucky	96.6
9	Arkansas	91.6
10	West Virginia	87.6
11	North Carolina	84.9
12	Indiana	78.4
13	Missouri	77.2
14	Virginia	76.6
15	Kansas	76.5
16	Nevada	76.5
17	Maryland	75.1
18	Ohio	73.6
19	Michigan	66.4
20	Delaware	64.1
21	Hawaii	62.4
22	Illinois	61.5
23	Nebraska	60.8
24	Arizona	59.5
25	Florida	57.9
26	Pennsylvania	57.7
27	New Jersey	57.6
28	Iowa	55.0
29	Utah	53.8
30	New Mexico	53.6
31	Oregon	50.8
32	Idaho	48.3
33	Minnesota	48.3
34	Wisconsin	47.0
35	California	45.0
36	Texas	44.9
37	District of Columbia	44.6
38	New York	42.9
39	Wyoming	42.5
40	Alaska	39.4
41	Colorado	39.2
42	Montana	38.8
43	Vermont	38.6
44	Washington	37.7
45	Rhode Island	32.3
46	New Hampshire	32.0
47	North Dakota	31.9
48	Connecticut	30.6
49	Massachusetts	30.6
50	Maine	30.2
51	South Dakota	24.9

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC), Judicial Caseload Statistics.

What This Ranking Actually Shows

This ranking covers 51 jurisdictions with per 100k values sourced from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics. The leading state, Tennessee, posts 197.9, while the trailing state, South Dakota, posts 24.9 - a spread of 173.0 points and a ratio of roughly 7.9x between the extremes. The median jurisdiction sits near 57.7, giving a quick sense of where a "typical" state falls versus the leaders and laggards.

The top of this list (Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama) and the bottom of this list (South Dakota, Maine, Massachusetts) have materially different reported rates in this fiscal-year extract. This board compares reported Chapter 13 filings per 100,000 residents in the selected fiscal year. It does not determine eligibility, explain a particular filing, or recommend a legal course. Use it as a descriptive comparison of the AOUSC filing records and consult the source and methodology for the calculation. The ranking itself does not identify the cause of those differences or predict an individual legal or financial outcome.

Rankings describe aggregate populations of court filings across a full fiscal year; they do not predict the result of any single case. A state's position on this list describes the local filing environment, not a recommendation to file. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this Chapter 13 ranking measure?

It ranks aggregate Chapter 13 filings reported to the AOUSC per 100,000 residents during the selected fiscal year. It does not determine an individual's eligibility, likely result, or best legal option.

Why do Chapter 13 rates differ between states?

The underlying filing-and-population data cannot establish causes. It can show differences in reported rates, but a causal explanation requires additional, specifically sourced research.

Does this page show Chapter 13 outcomes?

No. This page is limited to reported filings and population-based rates. It does not report case outcomes, legal consequences, or a recommendation for any person.

Explore More Rankings

Highest Filing Rate Lowest Filing Rate Highest Chapter 7 Rate

All States

Bankruptcy data by state

National Trends

Historical bankruptcy filing trends

Guides

Understanding bankruptcy chapters

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Browse all → | Rankings →

Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy

Every figure on PlainBankruptcy is rendered directly from federal court source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal court source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.