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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

South Carolina Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 4,638 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 5.37 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

4,638
Total filings FY2024
Mid-volume state
86.3
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#37
Per-capita rank
Bottom third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

South Carolina filings declined 34.5% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

86.3
filings per 100k
#37
per-capita rank (of 51)
31%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
68%
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
64/100
South Carolina · 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 86.3 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate C- 3.4%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 4,638 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: South Carolina rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near South Carolina

1. Connecticut90.42. South Carol.86.33. Wyoming86.14. Rhode Island82.5
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. South Carolina highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14286.3
South Carolina 86.3 per 100k (0.61x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where South Carolina sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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. South Carolina (this state) : 4,638 filings, 86.3 per 100k

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

South Carolina chapter composition, FY2024

South Carolina chapter mix FY2024

Chapters31.1%68.1%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
4,638 filings • per-capita rate 86.3 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

4,638

#31 nationally · Mid-volume state

Per 100,000

86.3

#37 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

1,442

31% of total · Below national share

Chapter 13

3,160

68% of total · Above national share

Chapter 11

36

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

133

Of total filings · Below national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near South Carolina

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

CT

Connecticut

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

SC

South Carolina

8.63% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,638

WY

Wyoming

8.61% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$503

RI

Rhode Island

8.25% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$904

Filing Trend by Year

3,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,000 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 4,638
Total bankruptcy filings in South Carolina by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 4,638 1,442 3,160
FY2023 3,918 1,224 2,656
FY2022 3,484 1,210 2,258
FY2021 3,554 1,764 1,770
FY2020 5,402 2,348 3,019
FY2019 6,730 2,618 4,081
FY2018 6,660 2,623 4,009
FY2017 6,492 2,644 3,816
FY2016 6,731 2,652 4,041
FY2015 7,080 2,828 4,222

Federal Districts in South Carolina

District of South Carolina

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

3.4%

Unemployment (2023)

86.3

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

86.3

Filings per 100,000 population

#37

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

South Carolina sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#37 of 51) - low rates still leave room for Chapter 13-heavy pockets in individual districts.

Falling multi-year filing trend

South Carolina in the lower-rate third

In FY2024, South Carolina recorded 4,638 federal filings at 86.3 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#37 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. Chapter 13 repayment plans are 68% while Chapter 7 is only 31% (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 3.4% (2023). 1 district; business filings 133 (Ch.11 36). Multi-year filings declined 34.5%.

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 a lower-rate state like South Carolina

Connecticut filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (90.4/100k)

District of South Carolina

Lead district inside South Carolina

State filing rankings

South Carolina sits in the lower third - compare denser peers

State exemptions

Low-rate states often pair with generous exemption regimes
← All States National Trends → Connecticut filing profile →

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

What to do with this

South Carolina'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 South Carolina FY2024 (per-capita #37 of 51). See our methodology for details. South Carolina snapshot: 4,638 filings, 86.3/100k, Chapter 7 31% / Chapter 13 68%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.