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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

South Dakota Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 648 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 1 judicial district and 0.92 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

648
Total filings FY2024
Lower-volume state
70.5
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#43
Per-capita rank
Bottom third
1
Judicial district
Typical district count

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

South Dakota filings declined 41.6% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

70.5
filings per 100k
#43
per-capita rank (of 51)
75%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
25%
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
89/100
South 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 70.5 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate A+ 2.0%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 648 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 Dakota rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near South Dakota

1. North Dakota71.32. South Dakota70.53. Montana68.94. Massachuset.64.8
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. South Dakota highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14270.5
South Dakota 70.5 per 100k (0.50x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where South Dakota sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with South 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 South 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. South Dakota (this state) : 648 filings, 70.5 per 100k

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

South Dakota chapter composition, FY2024

South Dakota chapter mix FY2024

Chapters74.5%24.5%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
648 filings • per-capita rate 70.5 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

648

#45 nationally · Lower-volume state

Per 100,000

70.5

#43 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

483

75% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

159

25% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

5

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

19

Of total filings · Below national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near South Dakota

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

ND

North Dakota

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

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

MA

Massachusetts

6.48% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,534

Filing Trend by Year

4006008001,0001,200 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 648
Total bankruptcy filings in South Dakota by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 648 483 159
FY2023 583 425 153
FY2022 552 475 71
FY2021 632 557 59
FY2020 853 761 70
FY2019 1,008 862 127
FY2018 1,075 947 111
FY2017 1,058 900 143
FY2016 1,078 969 103
FY2015 1,110 988 111

Federal Districts in South Dakota

District of South Dakota

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

2.0%

Unemployment (2023)

70.5

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

70.5

Filings per 100,000 population

#43

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

South Dakota sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#43 of 51) - low rates still leave room for Chapter 13-heavy pockets in individual districts.

Falling multi-year filing trend

South Dakota in the lower-rate third

In FY2024, South Dakota recorded 648 federal filings at 70.5 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#43 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 75% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 25% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 41.6%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 1 district; business filings 19 (Ch.11 5). Unemployment 2.0% (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.

Next reads for a lower-rate state like South Dakota

North Dakota filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (71.3/100k)

District of South Dakota

Lead district inside South Dakota

State filing rankings

South Dakota sits in the lower third - compare denser peers

State exemptions

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

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

What to do with this

South 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 South Dakota FY2024 (per-capita #43 of 51). See our methodology for details. South Dakota snapshot: 648 filings, 70.5/100k, Chapter 7 75% / Chapter 13 25%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.