U.S. Bankruptcy Statistics

Total U.S. bankruptcy filings

Federal courts reported 485,341 bankruptcy petitions nationwide in FY2024. This count includes every chapter filed in all 90 judicial districts during the fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). It measures cases commenced, not cases discharged, dismissed, or still pending.

National filing trends over time

The series below spans FY2015–FY2024. Totals fell sharply during the pandemic-era moratorium and stimulus period, then rebounded as those programs expired and economic activity normalized.

Total filings by fiscal year

Post-pandemic low and rebound

The post-pandemic trough was FY2022 at 387,721 filings. FY2024 is 25% above that low.

Year-over-year change

Compared with FY2023 (433,658 filings), FY2024 is up 12%.

Business and non-business bankruptcy filings

AOUSC separates business petitions from non-business (consumer) petitions. In FY2024, business filings accounted for 4% of the national total (21,456 business vs 463,885 non-business).

Business share of total filings

Chapter 11 reorganizations dominate the business bucket, but some Chapter 7 liquidations are also classified as business cases. The business share varies by fiscal year and economic cycle.

Non-business (consumer) filings

Non-business filings are primarily Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 consumer cases. They made up 96% of FY2024 petitions (463,885 cases).

Business vs non-business over time

Bankruptcy filings by chapter

Chapter 7 wipes eligible debts through liquidation; Chapter 13 repays creditors over three to five years; Chapter 11 reorganizes (mostly businesses); Chapter 12 serves family farmers and fishermen. The mix below is the share of all FY2024 filings.

Chapter 7 liquidation

Chapter 7 accounted for 60% of FY2024 filings (292,124 cases). It remains the most common chapter nationally.

Chapter 13 repayment plans

Chapter 13 represented 37% of FY2024 filings (179,819 cases). Its share fell during the pandemic and has been recovering since.

Chapter 11 reorganization

Chapter 11 filings totaled 8,032 in FY2024 (1.7% of all cases), including standard business reorganizations and Subchapter V small-business cases.

Chapter 12 family farmer

Chapter 12 is the smallest bucket: 643 filings in FY2024 (0.1% of the total). It serves family farmers and fishermen with a specialized repayment framework.

Chapter mix over time

State filing rates

Per-capita rates normalize total filings by state population (per 100,000 residents). They allow comparison between jurisdictions of different sizes.

Highest per-capita filing rates

Alabama leads at 329.7 filings per 100,000 residents. See the full board on the <a href="/rankings/highest-filing-rate/">highest filing rate ranking</a>.

Lowest per-capita filing rates

South Dakota has the lowest rate at 89.3 per 100,000. Compare on the <a href="/rankings/lowest-filing-rate/">lowest filing rate ranking</a>.

Median rate and high-to-low spread

The median state filing rate is 172.8 per 100,000 residents. The highest-rate state runs about 3.7× the lowest-rate state, a wide geographic spread in reported filing intensity.

State filing volumes

Total filing counts (not adjusted for population) reflect absolute court workload. Large states dominate by volume even when their per-capita rates are moderate.

Highest total filings by state

California filed the most cases (63,245). Browse all state profiles.

Volume vs rate divergence

A state can rank high on total volume but moderate on per-capita rate (large population dilutes the rate), or the reverse. Compare both boards: filing rate and raw totals on each state profile.

District-level filing patterns

Bankruptcy cases are filed in one of 90 federal judicial districts, not directly at the state level. District totals reveal where court workload concentrates within each state.

Highest-volume judicial districts

See the full district volume research or browse all districts.

Chapter concentration by district

Chapter 13 share varies widely by district, some Southern districts show much higher Chapter 13 rates than Western districts. Each district profile shows the chapter mix for that court.

Chapter-specific state patterns

Chapter 7 rates by state

Per-capita Chapter 7 boards: highest Chapter 7 rate ranking.

Chapter 13 rates by state

Per-capita Chapter 13 boards: highest Chapter 13 rate ranking.

How to read these statistics

Data source and vintage

All figures derive from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. Data current as of 2026-08-29. Methodology: /methodology/.

Per-capita vs total counts

Per-capita rates use Census Bureau population denominators. Totals count every petition filed regardless of population. Use rates for cross-state comparison; use totals for absolute workload.

What these figures do not measure

These statistics describe court filings only. They do not measure household debt levels, case outcomes, eligibility, legal advice, or the causes behind a state's filing rate. This page is descriptive reference material, not legal guidance.

Explore further

State profiles

Drill into any of the 51 jurisdictions on the state index - each profile shows filing history, chapter mix, and peer comparisons.

Compare a state's position by highest filing rate, lowest filing rate, Chapter 7 rate, or Chapter 13 rate before opening a profile.

District profiles

All 90 judicial districts are listed below with volume ranks and nationwide peer maps.

Rankings boards

Sortable state rankings: highest rate, lowest rate, Chapter 7, Chapter 13.

Research reports

Long-form analysis: national trends by chapter, top states by filing rate, top districts by volume.

Guides and tools

Editorial context: Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 data guide, Chapter 7 eligibility estimator, all guides.

Frequently asked questions