Total Filings
1,421
#44 nationally
State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC
Montana Bankruptcy Filings
1,421 federal filings in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 1.12 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
- 1,421
- Total filings FY2024
- 126.6
- Per 100k residents
- #46
- Per-capita rank
- 1
- Judicial district
Data updated August 2026
The bottom line
Montana filings declined 42.5% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.
- 126.6
- filings per 100k
- #46
- per-capita rank (of 51)
- 66%
- Chapter 7 (liquidation)
- 31%
- 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
88/100
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 126.6 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 1,421 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
Montana chapter composition, FY2024
Montana chapter mix FY2024
Per 100,000
126.6
#46 per capita · Well below national median
Chapter 7
936
66% of total
Chapter 13
436
31% of total
Chapter 11
21
Business reorganization
Business
98
Of total filings
Peer states, per-capita filings near Montana
Rate per 100k population (decimal share) and total filings - Montana highlighted
TX
Texas
12.92% top marginal rate
MT
Montana
12.66% top marginal rate
MA
Massachusetts
11.17% top marginal rate
DC
District of Columbia
10.93% top marginal rate
Filing Trend by Year
Federal Districts in Montana
Economic Context
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →
2.8%
Unemployment (2023)
126.6
Filings per 100k Pop.
Filing Rate Score
126.6
Filings per 100,000 population
#46
Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions
Montana sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#46 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 1,421 federal filings at 126.6 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#46 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. At a lower per-capita rate the split is still 66% Chapter 7 / 31% Chapter 13 - local rules and attorney-fee norms still shape which chapter filers pick.
On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 42.5%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 1 district; business filings 98 (Ch.11 21). 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
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.
- Montana ranks #46 of 51 by FY2024 per-capita filing rate - see how every state stacks up. National rankings
- 66% of FY2024 filings here were Chapter 7 liquidations, not Chapter 13 repayment plans - the guide breaks down what separates the two. Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13
- Montana has 1 federal judicial district - start with District of Montana. District of Montana profile
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 #46 of 51). See our methodology for details. Montana snapshot: 1,421 filings, 126.6/100k, Chapter 7 66% / Chapter 13 31%; retrieved August 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.