U.S. Bankruptcy Statistics
A national snapshot of U.S. bankruptcy filings, computed live from the federal Judicial Caseload Statistics. Each figure below is aggregated directly from the official district-level filings, not estimated.
- 485,341
- total filings (FY2024)
- 60%
- are Chapter 7 (liquidation)
- 21,456
- business filings
- 90
- federal judicial districts
The national picture
U.S. bankruptcy filings reached 485,341 in FY2024, up 25% from the post-pandemic low in FY2022, with Chapter 7 liquidations 60% of all cases and Chapter 13 repayment plans 37%.
- 485,341
- Total filings, FY2024
- 60%
- Chapter 7 (liquidation), 292,124 cases
- 37%
- Chapter 13 (repayment), 179,819 cases
- 21,456
- Business filings (the rest are personal)
Aggregate counts across all 90 federal judicial districts, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics (FY2015–FY2024).
Filings by chapter
Chapter 7 wipes eligible debts through liquidation; Chapter 13 repays creditors over three to five years; Chapter 11 reorganizes (mostly businesses). The mix below is the share of all FY2024 filings.
Bankruptcy filing-type distribution
Cite this page
These statistics are free to quote and link with attribution. Suggested citation:
PlainBankruptcy, "U.S. Bankruptcy Statistics," based on AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics (FY2015–FY2024). https://plainbankruptcy.com/statistics/
Source data is in the public domain. Bankruptcy filing statistics are published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Reading these numbers: a national total sets context, but filing rates vary widely by district and track local economic conditions. Most consumer cases are Chapter 7 or Chapter 13; the choice depends on income, assets, and whether the goal is to discharge debt or keep property while repaying. Figures are refreshed when the Administrative Office publishes a new fiscal-year release; they describe court filings, not outcomes, and are not legal advice.
