All States › Colorado

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Colorado Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 7,496 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 5.88 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

7,496
Total filings FY2024
Mid-volume state
127.5
Per 100k residents
Near national median
#26
Per-capita rank
Middle third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Colorado filings declined 51.3% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

127.5
filings per 100k
#26
per-capita rank (of 51)
78%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
20%
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.

C-
Financial-Stress Score
52/100
Colorado · 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- 127.5 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate C 3.3%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 7,496 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: Colorado rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Colorado

1. Kansas130.12. Colorado127.53. Nebraska122.24. California117.5
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Colorado highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142127.5
Colorado 127.5 per 100k (0.90x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Colorado sits: volume vs. intensity

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

Colorado chapter composition, FY2024

Colorado chapter mix FY2024

Chapters78.3%20.2%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
7,496 filings • per-capita rate 127.5 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

7,496

#26 nationally · Mid-volume state

Per 100,000

127.5

#26 per capita · Near national median

Chapter 7

5,870

78% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

1,511

20% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

111

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

445

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Colorado

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

KS

Kansas

13.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,825
Selected

CO

Colorado

12.75% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,496

NE

Nebraska

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

CA

California

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

Filing Trend by Year

05,00010,00015,00020,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 7,496
Total bankruptcy filings in Colorado by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 7,496 5,870 1,511
FY2023 5,823 4,401 1,352
FY2022 5,194 3,883 1,236
FY2021 6,977 5,690 1,208
FY2020 9,387 7,392 1,908
FY2019 11,409 8,826 2,509
FY2018 11,507 8,910 2,525
FY2017 12,475 9,690 2,689
FY2016 13,191 10,476 2,639
FY2015 15,389 12,586 2,710

Federal Districts in Colorado

District of Colorado

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.3%

Unemployment (2023)

127.5

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

127.5

Filings per 100,000 population

#26

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Colorado has a mid-pack per-capita filing rate (#26 of 51) at 127.5 per 100k.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Colorado's Chapter 7-heavy mix

In FY2024, Colorado recorded 7,496 federal bankruptcy filings (127.5 per 100k, #26 of 51). Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 78% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 20% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

Cases run across 1 federal judicial district, with 445 business filings (including 111 Chapter 11). The 10-year AOUSC window shows filings declined 51.3%; unemployment is 3.3% (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 Colorado filing profile

Kansas filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (130.1/100k)

District of Colorado

Lead district inside Colorado

Bankruptcy timeline

Mid-pack rates still vary by district local rules

National trends

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

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

What to do with this

Colorado'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 Colorado FY2024 (per-capita #26 of 51). See our methodology for details. Colorado snapshot: 7,496 filings, 127.5/100k, Chapter 7 78% / Chapter 13 20%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.