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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

New Jersey Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 13,511 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 9.50 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

13,511
Total filings FY2024
High-volume state
142.2
Per 100k residents
Above national median
#24
Per-capita rank
Middle third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

New Jersey filings declined 47.3% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

142.2
filings per 100k
#24
per-capita rank (of 51)
54%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
37%
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.

F
Financial-Stress Score
30/100
New Jersey · 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 D 142.2 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate F 4.6%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 13,511 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: New Jersey rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near New Jersey

1. Minnesota143.42. New Jersey142.23. Kansas130.14. Colorado127.5
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. New Jersey highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg142142.2
New Jersey 142.2 per 100k (1.00x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where New Jersey sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 (this state) : 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. Oklahoma : 6,467 filings, 159.5 per 100k

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

New Jersey chapter composition, FY2024

New Jersey chapter mix FY2024

Chapters54.1%8.5%37.3%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
13,511 filings • per-capita rate 142.2 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

13,511

#13 nationally · High-volume state

Per 100,000

142.2

#24 per capita · Above national median

Chapter 7

7,314

54% of total · Near national share

Chapter 13

5,046

37% of total · Near national share

Chapter 11

1,148

Business reorganization · Above national share

Business

1,381

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near New Jersey

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

MN

Minnesota

14.34% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,231
Selected

NJ

New Jersey

14.22% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$13,511

KS

Kansas

13.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,825

CO

Colorado

12.75% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,496

Filing Trend by Year

5,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 13,511
Total bankruptcy filings in New Jersey by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 13,511 7,314 5,046
FY2023 11,410 6,120 4,986
FY2022 10,498 5,838 4,316
FY2021 11,132 8,452 2,509
FY2020 17,237 11,875 5,147
FY2019 25,399 15,508 9,613
FY2018 26,525 15,951 10,292
FY2017 26,716 16,699 9,655
FY2016 25,651 16,892 8,503
FY2015 25,652 18,194 7,211

Federal Districts in New Jersey

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.6%

Unemployment (2023)

142.2

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

142.2

Filings per 100,000 population

#24

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

New Jersey's raw volume is in the heaviest third (#13), so prefer the 142.2/100k rate when comparing to smaller states.

Falling multi-year filing trend

New Jersey in the heavy-volume third

13,511 FY2024 filings put New Jersey in the heaviest third by raw volume (#13); prefer the 142.2/100k rate when comparing to smaller states. Chapter 13 repayment plans are 37% while Chapter 7 is only 54% (lower-third Chapter 7 share) - homeowners curing arrears show up more often than straight liquidations.

Repayment-heavy dockets often track mortgage-arrears curing more than job-loss liquidations; unemployment here is 4.6% (2023). 1 district; business filings 1,381 (Ch.11 1,148). Multi-year filings declined 47.3%.

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.

What to do with this

New Jersey'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 New Jersey FY2024 (per-capita #24 of 51). See our methodology for details. New Jersey snapshot: 13,511 filings, 142.2/100k, Chapter 7 54% / Chapter 13 37%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.