All States Mississippi
FY2024 AOUSC data #5 per capita 2 judicial districts

Mississippi Bankruptcy Filings

8,321 federal filings in FY2024 across 2 districts of Mississippi, 2.94 million residents. Chapter 7, 11, 12, 13 breakdown sourced from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

Mississippi chapter mix FY2024

Chapters5009%3163%Ch 7 — LiquidationCh 11 — ReorganizationCh 12 — Family farmerCh 13 — Wage-earnerCh 15 — Cross-border
8,321 filings • per-capita rate 283.1 per 100k

Total Filings

8,321

#28 nationally

Per 100,000

283.1

#5 per capita

Chapter 7

5,009

60% of total

Chapter 13

3,163

38% of total

Chapter 11

138

Business reorganization

Business

320

Of total filings

Filing Composition by Chapter

Chapter 7 (liquidation) 60.2%

5,009 cases

Chapter 13 (wage-earner plan) 38.0%

3,163 cases

Chapter 11 (business reorganization) 1.7%

138 cases

Mississippi bankruptcy discharge outcomes Per-chapter horizontal gauge showing the share of cases that result in discharge, dismissal, or conversion to another chapter. Mississippi bankruptcy discharge outcomes Outcome shares — illustrative long-run share per chapter Chapter 7 96% Chapter 11 25% Chapter 12 60% Chapter 13 38% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Discharged Dismissed Converted AOUSC long-run typical resolution shares — illustrative composition reference for Mississippi

Peer states — per-capita filings near Mississippi

Rate per 100k population (decimal share) and total filings — Mississippi highlighted

TN

Tennessee

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

MS

Mississippi

28.31% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,321

LA

Louisiana

24.97% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$11,421

OK

Oklahoma

23.24% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$9,421

Filing Trend by Year

Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 8,321 5,009 3,163
FY2023 7,435 4,662 2,646
FY2022 6,647 4,547 2,006
FY2021 7,091 5,098 1,893
FY2020 9,335 6,637 2,564
FY2019 13,286 8,251 4,907
FY2018 13,370 8,330 4,914
FY2017 13,162 8,555 4,473
FY2016 13,621 9,221 4,262
FY2015 14,479 9,831 4,506

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.2%

Unemployment (2023)

283.1

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

283.1

Filings per 100,000 population

#5

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Mississippi ranks among the top 10 states for bankruptcy filings per capita, indicating relatively high financial distress among residents.

What the Mississippi Data Shows

In FY2024, Mississippi recorded 8,321 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 2.94 million, producing a per-capita rate of 283.1 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places Mississippi at #5 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (top 10 nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #28. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 60% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 38%, 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 2 federal judicial districts in Mississippi, with business filings totaling 320 in FY2024 (including 138 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total Mississippi filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 4.2% (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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi in FY2024?

Mississippi had 8,321 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #28 nationally by total volume. Of these, 5,009 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 3,163 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.

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

Mississippi had 283.1 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #5 among all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Per-capita rates account for population size and give a more accurate picture of financial distress than raw totals.

Which bankruptcy chapter is most common in Mississippi?

Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 60% of all Mississippi bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 38%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.

How many federal judicial districts are in Mississippi?

Mississippi has 2 federal judicial districts: Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi. 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 Mississippi relate to bankruptcy filings?

Mississippi's unemployment rate was 4.2% 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.

Related

Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial