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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 12,265 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 3 judicial districts and 12.96 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

12,265
Total filings FY2024
High-volume state
94.6
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#34
Per-capita rank
Middle third
3
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

Pennsylvania filings declined 45.5% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

94.6
filings per 100k
#34
per-capita rank (of 51)
53%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
46%
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.

C
Financial-Stress Score
56/100
Pennsylvania · 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 B- 94.6 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate F 3.8%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 12,265 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: Pennsylvania rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near Pennsylvania

1. Iowa97.42. Pennsylvania94.63. West Virgin.90.64. Connecticut90.4
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. Pennsylvania highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14294.6
Pennsylvania 94.6 per 100k (0.66x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where Pennsylvania sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 (this state) : 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 →

Pennsylvania chapter composition, FY2024

Pennsylvania chapter mix FY2024

Chapters52.6%45.5%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
12,265 filings • per-capita rate 94.6 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

12,265

#14 nationally · High-volume state

Per 100,000

94.6

#34 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

6,456

53% of total · Near national share

Chapter 13

5,582

46% of total · Above national share

Chapter 11

223

Business reorganization · Near national share

Business

550

Of total filings · Near national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near Pennsylvania

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

IA

Iowa

9.74% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,124
Selected

PA

Pennsylvania

9.46% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,265

WV

West Virginia

9.06% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,609

CT

Connecticut

9.04% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,271

Filing Trend by Year

5,00010,00015,00020,00025,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 12,265
Total bankruptcy filings in Pennsylvania by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 12,265 6,456 5,582
FY2023 10,716 5,635 4,959
FY2022 9,667 5,425 4,140
FY2021 10,974 7,484 3,365
FY2020 16,149 10,189 5,800
FY2019 21,310 12,159 8,951
FY2018 21,580 12,458 8,927
FY2017 22,281 13,035 8,999
FY2016 21,962 12,853 8,875
FY2015 22,516 13,716 8,568

Federal Districts in Pennsylvania

Eastern District of Pennsylvania Middle District of Pennsylvania Western District of Pennsylvania

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.8%

Unemployment (2023)

94.6

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

94.6

Filings per 100,000 population

#34

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

Pennsylvania's raw volume is in the heaviest third (#14), so prefer the 94.6/100k rate when comparing to smaller states.

Falling multi-year filing trend

Pennsylvania in the heavy-volume third

12,265 FY2024 filings put Pennsylvania in the heaviest third by raw volume (#14); prefer the 94.6/100k rate when comparing to smaller states. Chapter 13 repayment plans are 46% while Chapter 7 is only 53% (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 3.8% (2023). 3 districts; business filings 550 (Ch.11 223). Multi-year filings declined 45.5%.

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 Pennsylvania's repayment-heavy mix

Iowa filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (97.4/100k)

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Lead district inside Pennsylvania

The means test

Repayment-heavy dockets track income screens closely

Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13

Pennsylvania's Chapter 13 share is 46%
← All States National Trends → Iowa filing profile →

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

What to do with this

Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania FY2024 (per-capita #34 of 51). See our methodology for details. Pennsylvania snapshot: 12,265 filings, 94.6/100k, Chapter 7 53% / Chapter 13 46%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.