All States Arizona
FY2024 AOUSC data #9 per capita 1 judicial district

Arizona Bankruptcy Filings

14,823 federal filings in FY2024 across 1 district of Arizona, 7.43 million residents. Chapter 7, 11, 12, 13 breakdown sourced from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

Arizona chapter mix FY2024

Chapters8923%5635%Ch 7 — LiquidationCh 11 — ReorganizationCh 12 — Family farmerCh 13 — Wage-earnerCh 15 — Cross-border
14,823 filings • per-capita rate 199.5 per 100k

Total Filings

14,823

#14 nationally

Per 100,000

199.5

#9 per capita

Chapter 7

8,923

60% of total

Chapter 13

5,635

38% of total

Chapter 11

245

Business reorganization

Business

721

Of total filings

Filing Composition by Chapter

Chapter 7 (liquidation) 60.2%

8,923 cases

Chapter 13 (wage-earner plan) 38.0%

5,635 cases

Chapter 11 (business reorganization) 1.7%

245 cases

Arizona bankruptcy discharge outcomes Per-chapter horizontal gauge showing the share of cases that result in discharge, dismissal, or conversion to another chapter. Arizona bankruptcy discharge outcomes Outcome shares — illustrative long-run share per chapter Chapter 7 96% Chapter 11 25% Chapter 12 60% Chapter 13 38% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Discharged Dismissed Converted AOUSC long-run typical resolution shares — illustrative composition reference for Arizona

Peer states — per-capita filings near Arizona

Rate per 100k population (decimal share) and total filings — Arizona highlighted

UT

Utah

21.71% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,421
Selected

AZ

Arizona

19.95% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,823

HI

Hawaii

19.80% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,841

KY

Kentucky

19.71% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,921

Filing Trend by Year

Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 14,823 8,923 5,635
FY2023 13,245 8,305 4,715
FY2022 11,842 8,100 3,574
FY2021 12,632 9,082 3,372
FY2020 16,629 11,823 4,566
FY2019 23,668 14,698 8,741
FY2018 23,817 14,838 8,755
FY2017 23,447 15,241 7,968
FY2016 24,265 16,427 7,593
FY2015 25,792 17,513 8,027

Federal Districts in Arizona

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.0%

Unemployment (2023)

199.5

Filings per 100k Pop.

Understanding This Data

Bankruptcy filing rates vary by state due to differences in exemption laws, wages, cost of living, consumer credit access, and legal culture. High per-capita rates often reflect historical patterns in consumer credit use and cultural attitudes toward debt relief. This data is aggregate statistics — it cannot predict individual case outcomes.

Filing Rate Score

199.5

Filings per 100,000 population

#9

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Arizona ranks among the top 10 states for bankruptcy filings per capita, indicating relatively high financial distress among residents.

What the Arizona Data Shows

In FY2024, Arizona recorded 14,823 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 7.43 million, producing a per-capita rate of 199.5 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places Arizona at #9 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (top 10 nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #14. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 60% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 38%, a split that reflects the state's exemption laws, income distribution, and the degree to which homeowners use Chapter 13 to cure mortgage arrears rather than surrender property under Chapter 7.

Cases are processed across 1 federal judicial district in Arizona, with business filings totaling 721 in FY2024 (including 245 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total Arizona filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 4.0% (2023), a macro indicator that typically correlates with bankruptcy volume on a 6–12 month lag, alongside consumer debt levels, medical cost exposure, and credit tightening cycles.

These figures describe the aggregate population of court filings; they do not forecast any individual case outcome. The chapter mix, per-capita rate, and district-level distribution here are influenced by local rules, trustee practices, attorney fee conventions, and state exemption generosity — all of which can change the benefits and risks of each filing path materially. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; residents considering bankruptcy in Arizona should consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney familiar with the specific district's procedures before relying on any pattern described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bankruptcy cases were filed in Arizona in FY2024?

Arizona had 14,823 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #14 nationally by total volume. Of these, 8,923 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 5,635 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.

What is the per-capita bankruptcy filing rate in Arizona?

Arizona had 199.5 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #9 among all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Per-capita rates account for population size and give a more accurate picture of financial distress than raw totals.

Which bankruptcy chapter is most common in Arizona?

Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 60% of all Arizona bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 38%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.

How many federal judicial districts are in Arizona?

Arizona has 1 federal judicial district: District of Arizona. All bankruptcy cases are filed in federal court, not state court. Each district has its own bankruptcy court with local rules and procedures.

How does unemployment in Arizona relate to bankruptcy filings?

Arizona's unemployment rate was 4.0% in 2023. While unemployment and bankruptcy filings often correlate, the relationship is not direct — bankruptcy filings also depend on consumer debt levels, state exemption laws, legal costs, and access to credit. Rising unemployment can increase filings with a 6-12 month lag.

Related

Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial