All States Kansas

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Kansas Bankruptcy Filings

5,621 federal filings in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 2.94 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

5,621
Total filings FY2024
191.1
Per 100k residents
#13
Per-capita rank
1
Judicial district

Data updated July 2026

The bottom line

Kansas recorded 5,621 bankruptcy filings in FY2024 - 191.1 per 100,000 residents, the #13 highest rate among the 51 U.S. jurisdictions.

191.1
filings per 100k
#13
per-capita rank (of 51)
58%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
40%
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 Kansas.

Kansas chapter composition, FY2024

Kansas chapter mix FY2024

Chapters3271%2249%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
5,621 filings • per-capita rate 191.1 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

5,621

#33 nationally

Per 100,000

191.1

#13 per capita

Chapter 7

3,271

58% of total

Chapter 13

2,249

40% of total

Chapter 11

73

Business reorganization

Business

240

Of total filings

Peer states, per-capita filings near Kansas

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

IN

Indiana

19.30% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$13,241
Selected

KS

Kansas

19.11% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,621

AR

Arkansas

19.04% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,841

OR

Oregon

18.47% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,821

Filing Trend by Year

4,0006,0008,00010,00012,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 5,621
Total bankruptcy filings in Kansas by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 5,621 3,271 2,249
FY2023 5,022 3,034 1,895
FY2022 4,490 2,972 1,439
FY2021 4,790 3,343 1,359
FY2020 6,306 4,374 1,836
FY2019 8,975 5,372 3,517
FY2018 9,032 5,438 3,509
FY2017 8,891 5,586 3,213
FY2016 9,201 6,033 3,070
FY2015 9,781 6,436 3,246

Federal Districts in Kansas

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.8%

Unemployment (2023)

191.1

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

191.1

Filings per 100,000 population

#13

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Kansas has a moderate bankruptcy filing rate compared to other states.

What the Kansas Data Shows

In FY2024, Kansas recorded 5,621 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 2.94 million, producing a per-capita rate of 191.1 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places Kansas at #13 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (upper half nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #33. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 58% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 40%, 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 1 federal judicial district in Kansas, with business filings totaling 240 in FY2024 (including 73 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total Kansas filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 2.8% (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 Kansas 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 Kansas in FY2024?

Kansas had 5,621 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #33 nationally by total volume. Of these, 3,271 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 2,249 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.

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

Kansas had 191.1 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #13 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 Kansas?

Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 58% of all Kansas bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 40%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.

How many federal judicial districts are in Kansas?

Kansas has 1 federal judicial district: District of Kansas. 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 Kansas relate to bankruptcy filings?

Kansas's unemployment rate was 2.8% 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.