National ranking · FY2024 · AOUSC

States with the Highest Chapter 7 Filing Rate

All states ranked by reported Chapter 7 filings per 100,000 residents.

225.1
Leader: Nevada: 104.4
Median state: 51
Jurisdictions: 3.9×
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

Nevada leads with 225.1 per 100k, about 3.9× the rate of District of Columbia (58.3). District of Columbia is the #51 bottom of this complete jurisdiction list. The median state sits near 104.4.

225.1
Nevada (highest): 58.3
District of Columbia (lowest): 104.4
median jurisdiction: 3.9×
spread between extremes

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

What This Ranking Tells Us

This board compares reported Chapter 7 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: 58–92 92–125 125–158 158–192 192–225

View all 51 states as a list

#	State	Per 100K
1	Nevada	225.1
2	Utah	160.1
3	Alabama	144.1
4	Arizona	137.2
5	Hawaii	132.5
6	Louisiana	130.4
7	Oregon	129.8
8	Alaska	127.0
9	New Mexico	125.2
10	Oklahoma	122.1
11	Mississippi	117.3
12	Colorado	115.2
13	Georgia	114.4
14	California	112.3
15	Indiana	112.1
16	Florida	111.8
17	Kansas	111.2
18	New Jersey	110.7
19	Wyoming	109.6
20	Illinois	108.3
21	Nebraska	108.3
22	Ohio	106.0
23	Washington	104.9
24	Tennessee	104.8
25	Michigan	104.5
26	Missouri	104.4
27	Maine	101.9
28	Delaware	100.5
29	Vermont	99.5
30	Idaho	98.5
31	Kentucky	98.2
32	New Hampshire	95.7
33	Arkansas	95.3
34	Minnesota	95.3
35	Rhode Island	94.7
36	Wisconsin	92.7
37	West Virginia	92.2
38	Iowa	91.0
39	Maryland	88.1
40	New York	84.7
41	Montana	83.4
42	Pennsylvania	81.0
43	Texas	80.5
44	Massachusetts	78.3
45	Virginia	74.3
46	South Carolina	73.5
47	Connecticut	73.1
48	North Carolina	69.8
49	North Dakota	68.9
50	South Dakota	61.0
51	District of Columbia	58.3

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, Nevada, posts 225.1, while the trailing state, District of Columbia, posts 58.3 - a spread of 166.8 points and a ratio of roughly 3.9x between the extremes. The median jurisdiction sits near 104.4, giving a quick sense of where a "typical" state falls versus the leaders and laggards.

The top of this list (Nevada, Utah, Alabama) and the bottom of this list (District of Columbia, South Dakota, North Dakota) have materially different reported rates in this fiscal-year extract. This board compares reported Chapter 7 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 7 ranking measure?

It ranks aggregate Chapter 7 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 is Chapter 7 more common in some 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.

How does this compare with the Chapter 13 board?

The two boards report different aggregate filing categories from the same source. They are not a comparison of legal eligibility, consequences, or a recommendation for any person.

Explore More Rankings

Highest Filing Rate Lowest Filing Rate Highest Chapter 13 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.

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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.