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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

California Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 45,781 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 4 judicial districts and 38.97 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

45,781
Total filings FY2024
High-volume state
117.5
Per 100k residents
Below national median
#28
Per-capita rank
Middle third
4
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

California filings declined 47.3% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

117.5
filings per 100k
#28
per-capita rank (of 51)
79%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
19%
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
34/100
California · 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 C 117.5 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate F 5.1%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 45,781 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: California rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near California

1. Nebraska122.22. California117.53. New York106.74. Washington104.6
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. California highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142117.5
California 117.5 per 100k (0.83x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where California sits: volume vs. intensity

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

California chapter composition, FY2024

California chapter mix FY2024

Chapters79.4%19%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
45,781 filings • per-capita rate 117.5 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

45,781

#1 nationally · High-volume state

Per 100,000

117.5

#28 per capita · Below national median

Chapter 7

36,372

79% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

8,677

19% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

711

Business reorganization · Near national share

Business

2,856

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near California

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

NE

Nebraska

12.22% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,417
Selected

CA

California

11.75% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$45,781

NY

New York

10.67% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,881

WA

Washington

10.46% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,176

Filing Trend by Year

20,00040,00060,00080,000100,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 45,781
Total bankruptcy filings in California by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 45,781 36,372 8,677
FY2023 35,986 28,025 7,412
FY2022 31,702 25,159 6,057
FY2021 43,275 37,346 5,333
FY2020 56,909 45,848 10,395
FY2019 69,263 52,249 16,332
FY2018 68,860 51,026 17,087
FY2017 72,446 52,260 19,428
FY2016 76,623 54,897 20,948
FY2015 86,949 64,800 21,396

Federal Districts in California

Central District of California Eastern District of California Northern District of California Southern District of California

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

5.1%

Unemployment (2023)

117.5

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

117.5

Filings per 100,000 population

#28

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

California's raw volume is in the heaviest third (#1), so prefer the 117.5/100k rate when comparing to smaller states.

Falling multi-year filing trend

California in the heavy-volume third

45,781 FY2024 filings put California in the heaviest third by raw volume (#1); prefer the 117.5/100k rate when comparing to smaller states. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 79% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 19% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

Cases run across 4 federal judicial districts, with 2,856 business filings (including 711 Chapter 11). The 10-year AOUSC window shows filings declined 47.3%; unemployment is 5.1% (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 from the California filing profile

Nebraska filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (122.2/100k)

Central District of California

Lead district inside California

Bankruptcy timeline

Mid-pack rates still vary by district local rules

National trends

Compare California's multi-year path to the national series
← All States National Trends → Nebraska filing profile →

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

What to do with this

California'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 California FY2024 (per-capita #28 of 51). See our methodology for details. California snapshot: 45,781 filings, 117.5/100k, Chapter 7 79% / Chapter 13 19%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.