All States › Illinois

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Illinois Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 25,450 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 3 judicial districts and 12.55 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

25,450
Total filings FY2024
High-volume state
202.8
Per 100k residents
Well above national median
#10
Per-capita rank
Top third
3
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Illinois filings declined 56.1% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

202.8
filings per 100k
#10
per-capita rank (of 51)
58%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
41%
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
14/100
Illinois · 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 202.8 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate F 4.8%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 25,450 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: Illinois rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Illinois

1. Arkansas214.22. Illinois202.83. Michigan201.34. Louisiana200.6
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Illinois highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142202.8
Illinois 202.8 per 100k (1.43x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Illinois sits: volume vs. intensity

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

Illinois chapter composition, FY2024

Illinois chapter mix FY2024

Chapters57.9%41.3%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
25,450 filings • per-capita rate 202.8 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

25,450

#5 nationally · High-volume state

Per 100,000

202.8

#10 per capita · Well above national median

Chapter 7

14,726

58% of total · Near national share

Chapter 13

10,509

41% of total · Near national share

Chapter 11

194

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

828

Of total filings · Below national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Illinois

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

AR

Arkansas

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

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

LA

Louisiana

20.06% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$9,175

Filing Trend by Year

10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 25,450
Total bankruptcy filings in Illinois by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 25,450 14,726 10,509
FY2023 22,905 13,283 9,503
FY2022 20,393 12,088 8,214
FY2021 22,101 16,050 5,941
FY2020 36,748 25,232 11,370
FY2019 48,223 29,595 18,458
FY2018 49,002 28,365 20,477
FY2017 51,768 29,948 21,634
FY2016 54,856 32,303 22,409
FY2015 57,974 34,747 22,837

Federal Districts in Illinois

Central District of Illinois Northern District of Illinois Southern District of Illinois

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.8%

Unemployment (2023)

202.8

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

202.8

Filings per 100,000 population

#10

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Illinois sits in the higher third for filings per 100k (#10 of 51) - a rate shaped by exemption laws, income, and local legal culture as much as by distress.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Illinois in the higher-rate third

In FY2024, Illinois recorded 25,450 federal filings at 202.8 per 100k - a higher-third per-capita rate (#10 of 51). Even at a higher per-capita rate, the chapter split is 58% Chapter 7 / 41% Chapter 13 - check exemption generosity before treating the rate as pure distress.

A declined 56.1% 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. 3 districts; business 828. Unemployment 4.8% (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 Illinois

Arkansas filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (214.2/100k)

Central District of Illinois

Lead district inside Illinois

State filing rankings

Illinois 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 → Arkansas filing profile →

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

What to do with this

Illinois'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 Illinois FY2024 (per-capita #10 of 51). See our methodology for details. Illinois snapshot: 25,450 filings, 202.8/100k, Chapter 7 58% / Chapter 13 41%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.