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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Iowa Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 3,124 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 2 judicial districts and 3.21 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

3,124
Total filings FY2024
Lower-volume state
97.4
Per 100k residents
Below national median
#33
Per-capita rank
Middle third
2
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Iowa filings declined 31.5% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

97.4
filings per 100k
#33
per-capita rank (of 51)
84%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
15%
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.

B
Financial-Stress Score
74/100
Iowa · 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 B- 97.4 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate A- 2.8%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 3,124 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: Iowa rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Iowa

1. Texas98.92. Iowa97.43. Pennsylvania94.64. West Virgin.90.6
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Iowa highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14297.4
Iowa 97.4 per 100k (0.68x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Iowa sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with Iowa 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 Iowa 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 : 6,571 filings, 214.2 per 100k
  30. Iowa (this state) : 3,124 filings, 97.4 per 100k

Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics (filings) · U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates →

Iowa chapter composition, FY2024

Iowa chapter mix FY2024

Chapters83.9%14.8%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
3,124 filings • per-capita rate 97.4 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

3,124

#35 nationally · Lower-volume state

Per 100,000

97.4

#33 per capita · Below national median

Chapter 7

2,622

84% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

463

15% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

29

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

130

Of total filings · Near national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Iowa

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

TX

Texas

9.89% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$30,182
Selected

IA

Iowa

9.74% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,124

PA

Pennsylvania

9.46% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,265

WV

West Virginia

9.06% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,609

Filing Trend by Year

2,0003,0004,0005,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 3,124
Total bankruptcy filings in Iowa by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 3,124 2,622 463
FY2023 2,668 2,189 462
FY2022 2,324 1,969 319
FY2021 2,996 2,716 247
FY2020 4,230 3,713 473
FY2019 4,787 4,176 574
FY2018 4,566 4,022 512
FY2017 4,308 3,815 463
FY2016 4,350 3,824 500
FY2015 4,563 4,112 429

Federal Districts in Iowa

Northern District of Iowa Southern District of Iowa

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.8%

Unemployment (2023)

97.4

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

97.4

Filings per 100,000 population

#33

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Iowa has a mid-pack per-capita filing rate (#33 of 51) at 97.4 per 100k.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Iowa in the thin-volume third

3,124 FY2024 filings put Iowa in the lightest third by raw volume (#35); year-to-year swings are noisier, so pair counts with the per-capita band. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 84% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 15% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 31.5%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 2 districts; business filings 130 (Ch.11 29). Unemployment 2.8% (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 from the Iowa filing profile

Texas filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (98.9/100k)

Northern District of Iowa

Lead district inside Iowa

Bankruptcy timeline

Mid-pack rates still vary by district local rules

National trends

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

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

What to do with this

Iowa'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 Iowa FY2024 (per-capita #33 of 51). See our methodology for details. Iowa snapshot: 3,124 filings, 97.4/100k, Chapter 7 84% / Chapter 13 15%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.