All States › Alabama

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Alabama Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 19,124 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 3 judicial districts and 5.11 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

19,124
Total filings FY2024
High-volume state
374.4
Per 100k residents
Well above national median
#1
Per-capita rank
Top third
3
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Alabama filings declined 25.0% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

374.4
filings per 100k
#1
per-capita rank (of 51)
30%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
70%
Chapter 13 (repayment)

Statistical information only, not legal advice. Outcomes depend on district local rules, exemption law, and the means test. This page does not recommend whether to file.

F
Financial-Stress Score
24/100
Alabama · 2 of 2 dimensions reported

Based on this state's bankruptcy filing rate (AOUSC, per 100,000 residents) and its most recently reported unemployment rate, each benchmarked against every tracked state (50 states + DC). Lower filings and lower unemployment score higher; this is not a measure of overall affordability, cost of living, or quality of life.

Bankruptcy Filing Rate F 374.4 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate C+ 3.2%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 19,124 filings shown above, orthogonal to the chapter mix below.

Per-capita filings vs peers and the national average

Left: nearby jurisdictions by FY2024 filings per 100,000 residents (AOUSC). Right: Alabama rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Alabama

1. Alabama374.42. Mississippi301.63. Tennessee279.6
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Alabama highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142374.4
Alabama 374.4 per 100k (2.63x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Alabama sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with Alabama highlighted among all 30. A large state can lead on volume without leading on rate, or the reverse.

30 jurisdictions by total filings (volume) and per-100,000-resident filing rate (intensity), FY2024. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics; population from U.S. Census Bureau estimates. 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 30 entities by Total filings (X) and Filings per 100k residents (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. High volume, high rateLow volume, high rateHigh volume, low rateBelow median on both 010,00020,00030,00040,00050,000 0100200300400 Total filings Filings per 100k residents Alabama among all U.S. jurisdictions, FY2024
30 jurisdictions by total filings (volume) and per-100,000-resident filing rate (intensity), FY2024. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics; population from U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
View all 30 jurisdictions as a list
  1. California : 45,781 filings, 117.5 per 100k
  2. Florida : 35,569 filings, 157.3 per 100k
  3. Texas : 30,182 filings, 98.9 per 100k
  4. Georgia : 28,963 filings, 262.6 per 100k
  5. Illinois : 25,450 filings, 202.8 per 100k
  6. Ohio : 23,448 filings, 198.9 per 100k
  7. New York : 20,881 filings, 106.7 per 100k
  8. Michigan : 20,201 filings, 201.3 per 100k
  9. Tennessee : 19,926 filings, 279.6 per 100k
  10. Alabama (this state) : 19,124 filings, 374.4 per 100k
  11. Indiana : 15,921 filings, 232.0 per 100k
  12. Virginia : 14,245 filings, 163.4 per 100k
  13. New Jersey : 13,511 filings, 142.2 per 100k
  14. Pennsylvania : 12,265 filings, 94.6 per 100k
  15. Kentucky : 11,004 filings, 243.1 per 100k
  16. Arizona : 10,861 filings, 146.2 per 100k
  17. Maryland : 10,858 filings, 175.7 per 100k
  18. Missouri : 9,572 filings, 154.5 per 100k
  19. Wisconsin : 9,461 filings, 160.1 per 100k
  20. Louisiana : 9,175 filings, 200.6 per 100k
  21. Mississippi : 8,867 filings, 301.6 per 100k
  22. North Carolina : 8,603 filings, 80.4 per 100k
  23. Minnesota : 8,231 filings, 143.4 per 100k
  24. Washington : 8,176 filings, 104.6 per 100k
  25. Nevada : 7,992 filings, 250.2 per 100k
  26. Colorado : 7,496 filings, 127.5 per 100k
  27. Utah : 6,657 filings, 194.8 per 100k
  28. Oregon : 6,601 filings, 155.9 per 100k
  29. Arkansas : 6,571 filings, 214.2 per 100k
  30. Oklahoma : 6,467 filings, 159.5 per 100k

Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics (filings) · U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates →

Alabama chapter composition, FY2024

Alabama chapter mix FY2024

Chapters29.6%70%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
19,124 filings • per-capita rate 374.4 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

19,124

#10 nationally · High-volume state

Per 100,000

374.4

#1 per capita · Well above national median

Chapter 7

5,660

30% of total · Below national share

Chapter 13

13,381

70% of total · Above national share

Chapter 11

77

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

257

Of total filings · Below national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Alabama

Rate per 100k population (decimal share) and total filings - Alabama highlighted

Selected

AL

Alabama

37.44% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,124

MS

Mississippi

30.16% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,867

TN

Tennessee

27.96% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,926

Filing Trend by Year

10,00015,00020,00025,00030,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 19,124
Total bankruptcy filings in Alabama by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 19,124 5,660 13,381
FY2023 17,530 4,868 12,610
FY2022 16,151 4,732 11,366
FY2021 15,108 6,225 8,839
FY2020 21,068 8,517 12,462
FY2019 26,783 9,374 17,332
FY2018 26,643 9,566 17,023
FY2017 27,160 9,816 17,270
FY2016 26,091 9,500 16,529
FY2015 25,505 9,168 16,232

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.2%

Unemployment (2023)

374.4

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

374.4

Filings per 100,000 population

#1

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Alabama sits in the higher third for filings per 100k (#1 of 51) - a rate shaped by exemption laws, income, and local legal culture as much as by distress.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Alabama in the higher-rate third

In FY2024, Alabama recorded 19,124 federal filings at 374.4 per 100k - a higher-third per-capita rate (#1 of 51). Chapter 13 repayment plans are 70% while Chapter 7 is only 30% (lower-third Chapter 7 share) - homeowners curing arrears show up more often than straight liquidations.

A declined 25.0% swing on an already higher-rate state can coincide with credit tightening or a local filing-culture shift - still check the district list before inferring a statewide crisis. 3 districts; business 257. Unemployment 3.2% (2023).

These figures describe aggregate court filings; they do not forecast any individual case outcome. Statistical information only - not legal advice; this page does not recommend whether to file.

What to do with this

Alabama's own numbers, then where to compare them.

Figures are Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics FY2024 filings - see the methodology page for how states and chapters are defined.

Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics for Alabama FY2024 (per-capita #1 of 51). See our methodology for details. Alabama snapshot: 19,124 filings, 374.4/100k, Chapter 7 30% / Chapter 13 70%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.