All States Georgia

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Georgia Bankruptcy Filings

34,821 federal filings in FY2024 across 3 judicial districts and 11.03 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

34,821
Total filings FY2024
315.7
Per 100k residents
#2
Per-capita rank
3
Judicial districts

Data updated July 2026

The bottom line

Georgia recorded 34,821 bankruptcy filings in FY2024 - 315.7 per 100,000 residents, the #2 highest rate among the 51 U.S. jurisdictions.

315.7
filings per 100k
#2
per-capita rank (of 51)
36%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
62%
Chapter 13 (repayment)

Statistical information only, not legal advice. Outcomes depend on attorney representation, district local rules, exemption law, and the means test. Consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney in Georgia.

Georgia chapter composition, FY2024

Georgia chapter mix FY2024

Chapters12613%21752%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
34,821 filings • per-capita rate 315.7 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

34,821

#4 nationally

Per 100,000

315.7

#2 per capita

Chapter 7

12,613

36% of total

Chapter 13

21,752

62% of total

Chapter 11

428

Business reorganization

Business

1,422

Of total filings

Peer states, per-capita filings near Georgia

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

AL

Alabama

32.97% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,842
Selected

GA

Georgia

31.57% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$34,821

NV

Nevada

30.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$9,841

TN

Tennessee

30.65% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$21,842

Filing Trend by Year

20,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 34,821
Total bankruptcy filings in Georgia by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 34,821 12,613 21,752
FY2023 31,113 11,972 18,750
FY2022 27,817 12,422 15,085
FY2021 29,675 14,519 14,816
FY2020 39,063 18,801 19,800
FY2019 55,598 20,890 34,312
FY2018 55,949 21,216 34,343
FY2017 55,080 22,369 32,286
FY2016 57,001 24,841 31,711
FY2015 60,589 26,541 33,584

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.6%

Unemployment (2023)

315.7

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

315.7

Filings per 100,000 population

#2

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Georgia ranks among the top 10 states for bankruptcy filings per capita, a rate shaped by state exemption laws, income levels, and local legal culture as much as by underlying financial distress.

What the Georgia Data Shows

In FY2024, Georgia recorded 34,821 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 11.03 million, producing a per-capita rate of 315.7 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places Georgia at #2 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (top 10 nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #4. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 36% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 62%, 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 3 federal judicial districts in Georgia, with business filings totaling 1,422 in FY2024 (including 428 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total Georgia filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 3.6% (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 Georgia 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 Georgia in FY2024?

Georgia had 34,821 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #4 nationally by total volume. Of these, 12,613 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 21,752 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.

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

Georgia had 315.7 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #2 among all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Per-capita rates account for population size and give a more comparable, like-for-like measure of filing activity than raw totals, though the rate is also shaped by state exemption laws and legal culture, not purely by financial distress.

Which bankruptcy chapter is most common in Georgia?

Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 36% of all Georgia bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 62%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.

How many federal judicial districts are in Georgia?

Georgia has 3 federal judicial districts: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia. 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 Georgia relate to bankruptcy filings?

Georgia's unemployment rate was 3.6% 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.

Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial

Every figure on PlainBankruptcy is rendered directly from federal court source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal court source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.