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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Arkansas Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 6,571 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 3.07 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

6,571
Total filings FY2024
Mid-volume state
214.2
Per 100k residents
Well above national median
#9
Per-capita rank
Top third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Arkansas filings declined 35.9% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

214.2
filings per 100k
#9
per-capita rank (of 51)
39%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
60%
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
39/100
Arkansas · 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 214.2 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate B- 3.1%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 6,571 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: Arkansas rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Arkansas

1. Indiana232.02. Arkansas214.23. Illinois202.84. Michigan201.3
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Arkansas highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142214.2
Arkansas 214.2 per 100k (1.51x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Arkansas sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with Arkansas 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 Arkansas 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 : 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 (this state) : 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 →

Arkansas chapter composition, FY2024

Arkansas chapter mix FY2024

Chapters39.2%59.8%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
6,571 filings • per-capita rate 214.2 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

6,571

#29 nationally · Mid-volume state

Per 100,000

214.2

#9 per capita · Well above national median

Chapter 7

2,579

39% of total · Below national share

Chapter 13

3,930

60% of total · Above national share

Chapter 11

44

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

178

Of total filings · Below national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Arkansas

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

IN

Indiana

23.20% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$15,921
Selected

AR

Arkansas

21.42% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,571

IL

Illinois

20.28% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$25,450

MI

Michigan

20.13% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,201

Filing Trend by Year

4,0006,0008,00010,00012,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 6,571
Total bankruptcy filings in Arkansas by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 6,571 2,579 3,930
FY2023 6,083 2,460 3,598
FY2022 5,348 2,193 3,129
FY2021 5,692 3,090 2,579
FY2020 8,630 4,482 4,102
FY2019 10,678 5,124 5,512
FY2018 10,642 5,155 5,443
FY2017 10,635 5,134 5,464
FY2016 10,535 4,918 5,573
FY2015 10,259 4,815 5,387

Federal Districts in Arkansas

Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.1%

Unemployment (2023)

214.2

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

214.2

Filings per 100,000 population

#9

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Arkansas sits in the higher third for filings per 100k (#9 of 51) - a rate shaped by exemption laws, income, and local legal culture as much as by distress.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Arkansas in the higher-rate third

In FY2024, Arkansas recorded 6,571 federal filings at 214.2 per 100k - a higher-third per-capita rate (#9 of 51). Chapter 13 repayment plans are 60% while Chapter 7 is only 39% (lower-third Chapter 7 share) - homeowners curing arrears show up more often than straight liquidations.

A declined 35.9% 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. 1 district; business 178. Unemployment 3.1% (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.

Next reads for a higher-rate state like Arkansas

Indiana filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (232.0/100k)

Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

Lead district inside Arkansas

State filing rankings

Arkansas sits in the upper third by filings per 100k

Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13

High-rate states still split sharply on liquidation vs repayment
← All States National Trends → Indiana filing profile →

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

What to do with this

Arkansas'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 Arkansas FY2024 (per-capita #9 of 51). See our methodology for details. Arkansas snapshot: 6,571 filings, 214.2/100k, Chapter 7 39% / Chapter 13 60%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.