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State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC

West Virginia Bankruptcy Filings

According to AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics, 1,609 federal filings were recorded in FY2024 across 2 judicial districts and 1.78 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13.

1,609
Total filings FY2024
Lower-volume state
90.6
Per 100k residents
Well below national median
#35
Per-capita rank
Bottom third
2
Judicial districts
More districts than typical

Data updated September 2026

The bottom line

West Virginia filings declined 50.4% across the 10-year AOUSC window ending FY2024.

90.6
filings per 100k
#35
per-capita rank (of 51)
80%
Chapter 7 (liquidation)
18%
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
52/100
West Virginia · 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 90.6 per 100K
Federal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024 (AOUSC)
Unemployment Rate F 4.2%
State's most recently reported annual unemployment rate

Consumer vs business filings, FY2024

AOUSC case-type split of the same 1,609 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: West Virginia rate on the same scale as the 51-jurisdiction peak, with the national average marked.

Peer per-capita rates near West Virginia

1. Pennsylvania94.62. West Virgin.90.63. Connecticut90.44. South Carol.86.3
Filings per 100,000 residents, FY2024. West Virginia highlighted when present in the peer window. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
0374.451-jurisdiction avg14290.6
West Virginia 90.6 per 100k (0.64x the 142.3 national average; peak among 51 is 374.4). Denominator = residents; source AOUSC FY2024.

Where West Virginia sits: volume vs. intensity

Every jurisdiction plotted by FY2024 total filings (volume) against filings per 100,000 residents (intensity), with West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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. West Virginia (this state) : 1,609 filings, 90.6 per 100k

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

West Virginia chapter composition, FY2024

West Virginia chapter mix FY2024

Chapters80.2%18.5%Ch 7, LiquidationCh 11, ReorganizationCh 12, Family farmerCh 13, Wage-earnerCh 15, Cross-border
1,609 filings • per-capita rate 90.6 per 100k • AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics

Total Filings

1,609

#39 nationally · Lower-volume state

Per 100,000

90.6

#35 per capita · Well below national median

Chapter 7

1,290

80% of total · Above national share

Chapter 13

297

18% of total · Below national share

Chapter 11

22

Business reorganization · Below national share

Business

91

Of total filings · Above national share

Peer states, per-capita filings near West Virginia

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

PA

Pennsylvania

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

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

SC

South Carolina

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

Filing Trend by Year

1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,500 FY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24 1,609
Total bankruptcy filings in West Virginia by fiscal year. Source: AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
Year Total Ch. 7 Ch. 13
FY2024 1,609 1,290 297
FY2023 1,443 1,171 253
FY2022 1,414 1,184 222
FY2021 1,762 1,568 180
FY2020 2,474 2,184 260
FY2019 2,868 2,435 390
FY2018 3,147 2,710 398
FY2017 3,305 2,866 395
FY2016 3,338 2,873 417
FY2015 3,241 2,768 447

Federal Districts in West Virginia

Northern District of West Virginia Southern District of West Virginia

Economic Context

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →

4.2%

Unemployment (2023)

90.6

Filings per 100k Pop.

Filing Rate Score

90.6

Filings per 100,000 population

#35

Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions

West Virginia sits in the lower third for filings per 100k (#35 of 51) - low rates still leave room for Chapter 13-heavy pockets in individual districts.

Falling multi-year filing trend

West Virginia in the lower-rate third

In FY2024, West Virginia recorded 1,609 federal filings at 90.6 per 100k - a lower-third per-capita rate (#35 of 51); small absolute counts still matter when Chapter 13 share runs hot. Chapter 7 liquidations dominate at 80% (upper-third Chapter 7 share); Chapter 13 is 18% - a liquidation-leaning court culture relative to repayment-heavy peers.

On a thin volume book, the 10-year swing (declined 50.4%) can be a few hundred cases - read the year table in absolute counts. 2 districts; business filings 91 (Ch.11 22). Unemployment 4.2% (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 West Virginia

Pennsylvania filing profile

Nearest per-capita peer (94.6/100k)

Northern District of West Virginia

Lead district inside West Virginia

State filing rankings

West Virginia sits in the lower third - compare denser peers

State exemptions

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

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

What to do with this

West Virginia'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 West Virginia FY2024 (per-capita #35 of 51). See our methodology for details. West Virginia snapshot: 1,609 filings, 90.6/100k, Chapter 7 80% / Chapter 13 18%; retrieved September 2026 by PlainBankruptcy.