All States New Hampshire

State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

New Hampshire Bankruptcy Filings

1,821 federal filings in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 1.40 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.

1,821
Total filings FY2024
129.9
Per 100k residents
#43
Per-capita rank
1
Judicial district

Data updated July 2026

The bottom line

New Hampshire recorded 1,821 bankruptcy filings in FY2024 - 129.9 per 100,000 residents, the #43 lowest-to-mid rate among the 51 U.S. jurisdictions.

129.9
filings per 100k
#43
per-capita rank (of 51)
74%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
25%
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 New Hampshire.

New Hampshire chapter composition, FY2024

New Hampshire chapter mix FY2024

Chapters1342%449%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
1,821 filings • per-capita rate 129.9 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

1,821

#43 nationally

Per 100,000

129.9

#43 per capita

Chapter 7

1,342

74% of total

Chapter 13

449

25% of total

Chapter 11

28

Business reorganization

Business

98

Of total filings

Peer states, per-capita filings near New Hampshire

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

ME

Maine

13.49% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,892
Selected

NH

New Hampshire

12.99% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,821

RI

Rhode Island

12.97% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,421

TX

Texas

12.92% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$39,421

Filing Trend by Year

1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,500 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 1,821
Total bankruptcy filings in New Hampshire by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 1,821 1,342 449
FY2023 1,627 1,229 373
FY2022 1,455 1,163 273
FY2021 1,552 1,280 253
FY2020 2,043 1,676 341
FY2019 2,908 2,187 695
FY2018 2,926 2,208 692
FY2017 2,880 2,230 623
FY2016 2,981 2,369 585
FY2015 3,169 2,523 618

Federal Districts in New Hampshire

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.5%

Unemployment (2023)

129.9

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

129.9

Filings per 100,000 population

#43

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

New Hampshire has a relatively low per-capita bankruptcy filing rate, ranking 43 out of 51 jurisdictions.

What the New Hampshire Data Shows

In FY2024, New Hampshire recorded 1,821 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 1.40 million, producing a per-capita rate of 129.9 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places New Hampshire at #43 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (bottom quartile nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #43. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 74% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 25%, 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 New Hampshire, with business filings totaling 98 in FY2024 (including 28 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total New Hampshire filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 2.5% (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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire in FY2024?

New Hampshire had 1,821 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #43 nationally by total volume. Of these, 1,342 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 449 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.

What is the per-capita bankruptcy filing rate in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire had 129.9 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #43 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 New Hampshire?

Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 74% of all New Hampshire bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 25%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.

How many federal judicial districts are in New Hampshire?

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

New Hampshire's unemployment rate was 2.5% 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.