All States Kentucky

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Kentucky Bankruptcy Filings

8,921 federal filings in FY2024 across 2 judicial districts and 4.53 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

8,921
Total filings FY2024
197.1
Per 100k residents
#11
Per-capita rank
2
Judicial districts

Data updated August 2026

The bottom line

Kentucky filings declined 42.5% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

197.1
filings per 100k
#11
per-capita rank (of 51)
50%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
49%
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.

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 8,921 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: Kentucky rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Kentucky

1. Hawaii198.02. Kentucky197.13. Indiana193.04. Kansas191.1
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Kentucky highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0329.751-jurisdiction avg177197.1
Kentucky 197.1 per 100k (1.12x the 176.5 national average; peak among 51 is 329.7). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Kentucky chapter composition, FY2024

Kentucky chapter mix FY2024

Chapters49.8%49%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
8,921 filings • per-capita rate 197.1 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

8,921

#25 nationally

Per 100,000

197.1

#11 per capita

Chapter 7

4,443

50% of total

Chapter 13

4,371

49% of total

Chapter 11

89

Business reorganization

Business

321

Of total filings

Peer states, per-capita filings near Kentucky

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

HI

Hawaii

19.80% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,841
Selected

KY

Kentucky

19.71% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,921

IN

Indiana

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

KS

Kansas

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

Filing Trend by Year

6,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 8,921
Total bankruptcy filings in Kentucky by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 8,921 4,443 4,371
FY2023 7,971 4,160 3,715
FY2022 7,127 4,165 2,884
FY2021 7,603 4,752 2,766
FY2020 10,008 6,187 3,717
FY2019 14,244 7,307 6,845
FY2018 14,334 7,406 6,837
FY2017 14,111 7,686 6,327
FY2016 14,603 8,391 6,108
FY2015 15,523 8,955 6,462

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.2%

Unemployment (2023)

197.1

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

197.1

Filings per 100,000 population

#11

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Kentucky sits in the higher third for filings per 100k (#11 of 51) - a rate shaped by exemption laws, income, and local legal culture as much as by distress.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Kentucky in the higher-rate third

In FY2024, Kentucky recorded 8,921 federal filings at 197.1 per 100k - a higher-third per-capita rate (#11 of 51). Chapter 13 repayment plans are 49% while Chapter 7 is only 50% (lower-third Chapter 7 share) - homeowners curing arrears show up more often than straight liquidations.

A declined 42.5% 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. 2 districts; business 321. Unemployment 4.2% (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.

Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics for Kentucky FY2024 (per-capita #11 of 51). See our methodology for details. Kentucky snapshot: 8,921 filings, 197.1/100k, Chapter 7 50% / Chapter 13 49%; retrieved August 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.