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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Montana Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 774 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 1.12 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

774
Total filings FY2024
Lower-volume state
68.9
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#44
Per-capita rank
Bottom third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Montana filings declined 40.9% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

68.9
filings per 100k
#44
per-capita rank (of 51)
84%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
14%
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.

A
Financial-Stress Score
86/100
Montana · 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 A 68.9 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 774 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: Montana rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Montana

1. South Dakota70.52. Montana68.93. Massachuset.64.84. District of.64.7
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Montana highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14268.9
Montana 68.9 per 100k (0.48x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Montana sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with Montana 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 Montana 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. Montana (this state) : 774 filings, 68.9 per 100k

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

Montana chapter composition, FY2024

Montana chapter mix FY2024

Chapters84.5%14%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
774 filings • per-capita rate 68.9 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

774

#44 nationally · Lower-volume state

Per 100,000

68.9

#44 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

654

84% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

108

14% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

10

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

42

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Montana

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

SD

South Dakota

7.05% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$648
Selected

MT

Montana

6.89% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$774

MA

Massachusetts

6.48% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,534

Filing Trend by Year

4006008001,0001,2001,4001,600 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 774
Total bankruptcy filings in Montana by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 774 654 108
FY2023 626 519 97
FY2022 587 478 95
FY2021 703 616 74
FY2020 994 820 153
FY2019 1,347 1,087 241
FY2018 1,279 1,068 202
FY2017 1,314 1,088 205
FY2016 1,365 1,143 207
FY2015 1,310 1,131 170

Federal Districts in Montana

District of Montana

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.8%

Unemployment (2023)

68.9

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

68.9

Filings per 100,000 population

#44

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Montana sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#44 of 51) - low rates still leave room for Chapter 13-heavy pockets in individual districts.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Montana in the lower-rate third

In FY2024, Montana recorded 774 federal filings at 68.9 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#44 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 84% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 14% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 40.9%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 1 district; business filings 42 (Ch.11 10). 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 for a lower-rate state like Montana

South Dakota filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (70.5/100k)

District of Montana

Lead district inside Montana

State filing rankings

Montana sits in the lower third - compare denser peers

State exemptions

Low-rate states often pair with generous exemption regimes
← All States National Trends → South Dakota filing profile →

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

What to do with this

Montana'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 Montana FY2024 (per-capita #44 of 51). See our methodology for details. Montana snapshot: 774 filings, 68.9/100k, Chapter 7 84% / Chapter 13 14%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.