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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

North Dakota Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 559 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 0.78 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

559
Total filings FY2024
Lower-volume state
71.3
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#42
Per-capita rank
Bottom third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Chapter 7 liquidations are 87% of North Dakota's FY2024 filings - upper-third Chapter 7 share among jurisdictions.

71.3
filings per 100k
#42
per-capita rank (of 51)
87%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
11%
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
North Dakota · 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- 71.3 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate A+ 2.1%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 559 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: North Dakota rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near North Dakota

1. North Carol.80.42. North Dakota71.33. South Dakota70.54. Montana68.9
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. North Dakota highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14271.3
North Dakota 71.3 per 100k (0.50x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where North Dakota sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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. North Dakota (this state) : 559 filings, 71.3 per 100k

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

North Dakota chapter composition, FY2024

North Dakota chapter mix FY2024

Chapters86.9%10.6%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
559 filings • per-capita rate 71.3 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

559

#47 nationally · Lower-volume state

Per 100,000

71.3

#42 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

486

87% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

59

11% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

13

Business reorganization · Above national share

Business

46

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near North Dakota

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

NC

North Carolina

8.04% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,603
Selected

ND

North Dakota

7.13% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$559

SD

South Dakota

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

MT

Montana

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

Filing Trend by Year

300400500600700800900 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 559
Total bankruptcy filings in North Dakota by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 559 486 59
FY2023 462 396 60
FY2022 414 360 50
FY2021 555 510 37
FY2020 704 627 72
FY2019 728 634 89
FY2018 781 705 67
FY2017 788 688 92
FY2016 666 574 80
FY2015 592 539 51

Federal Districts in North Dakota

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.1%

Unemployment (2023)

71.3

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

71.3

Filings per 100,000 population

#42

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

North Dakota sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#42 of 51) - low rates still leave room for Chapter 13-heavy pockets in individual districts.

Chapter 7-heavy caseload

North Dakota in the lower-rate third

In FY2024, North Dakota recorded 559 federal filings at 71.3 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#42 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 87% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 11% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 5.6%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 1 district; business filings 46 (Ch.11 13). Unemployment 2.1% (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.

What to do with this

North Dakota'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 North Dakota FY2024 (per-capita #42 of 51). See our methodology for details. North Dakota snapshot: 559 filings, 71.3/100k, Chapter 7 87% / Chapter 13 11%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.