FY2018 Bankruptcy Filings
779,828 total filings nationwide (+1.6% from FY2017)
Statistical information only — not legal advice. Consult a bankruptcy attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
779,828
Total
100.0% of total
485,640
Chapter 7
62.3% of total
280,814
Chapter 13
36.0% of total
6,799
Chapter 11
0.9% of total
536
Chapter 12
0.1% of total
22,762
Business
2.9% of total
States by Total Filings — FY2018
| Rank | State | Total Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 101,620 |
| 2 | Texas | 63,340 |
| 3 | Florida | 63,120 |
| 4 | Georgia | 55,949 |
| 5 | New York | 42,452 |
| 6 | Illinois | 35,095 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 35,095 |
| 8 | Ohio | 34,418 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 29,598 |
| 10 | Michigan | 27,991 |
| 11 | Alabama | 27,061 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 27,027 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 26,385 |
| 14 | Arizona | 23,817 |
| 15 | Virginia | 21,564 |
| 16 | Indiana | 21,275 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 18,351 |
| 18 | Missouri | 18,351 |
| 19 | Washington | 18,351 |
| 20 | Maryland | 16,455 |
| 21 | Nevada | 15,812 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 15,137 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 15,137 |
| 24 | Colorado | 14,848 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 14,334 |
| 26 | Minnesota | 13,531 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 13,531 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 13,370 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | 12,566 |
| 30 | Oregon | 12,566 |
| 31 | Utah | 11,924 |
| 32 | Arkansas | 9,385 |
| 33 | Kansas | 9,032 |
| 34 | Iowa | 7,746 |
| 35 | Connecticut | 6,173 |
| 36 | New Mexico | 6,172 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 5,497 |
| 38 | West Virginia | 5,208 |
| 39 | Idaho | 4,725 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 4,565 |
| 41 | Maine | 3,040 |
| 42 | Delaware | 3,038 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 2,926 |
| 44 | Montana | 2,283 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 2,283 |
| 46 | Alaska | 1,997 |
| 47 | Vermont | 1,480 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 1,480 |
| 49 | North Dakota | 1,319 |
| 50 | South Dakota | 1,319 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 1,192 |
What the FY2018 National Data Shows
Federal bankruptcy courts recorded 779,828 total filings across all chapters in FY2018 — an increase of 1.6% from the 767,721 cases filed in FY2017. Chapter 7 liquidation remained the dominant filing type at 62.3% of the national caseload (485,640 cases), followed by Chapter 13 wage-earner repayment plans at 36.0% (280,814 cases). Chapter 11 reorganizations accounted for 0.87% (6,799 cases), and Chapter 12 family-farmer/fisherman filings totaled 536.
Business filings represented 2.9% of FY2018 activity (22,762 cases), leaving 757,066 consumer (non-business) filings. Geographic concentration matters: the top 51 states by volume — led by California with 101,620 cases — drive most of the caseload, and the top three states alone account for roughly 29.2% of national filings. National totals also reflect major macro-policy shifts: pandemic-era relief programs (moratoria, stimulus, student-loan pauses) pushed filings to multi-decade lows in FY2020–FY2022, while subsequent rate hikes and the unwinding of those programs have brought volumes back up.
These figures describe aggregate court activity; they are not an indicator of whether any individual should or should not file bankruptcy. Chapter choice, means-test eligibility, exemptions, and likely outcomes depend on a debtor's state of residence, income, asset mix, and the specific district's local rules and trustee practices. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; a licensed bankruptcy attorney is the appropriate source of guidance for a personal filing decision.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.