US bankruptcy filings reached 517308 cases. Non-business filings rose 17 percent to 440172. The data breaks down these totals by chapter, demographics, and region.
Key Takeaways
- Chapter 7 filings dominated at 65.8% of non-business in 2023
- In 2023, 65% of filers were aged 25-44
- Medical debt drove 58% of Chapter 7 filings in 2023 surveys
- In 2023, total US bankruptcy filings reached 517,308 cases, a 14.2% increase from 452,990 in 2022
- Delaware saw 18,402 filings in 2023, highest per capita at 18.2 per 1,000
Recent bankruptcy filings highlight ongoing financial strain, underscoring the importance of early debt relief planning.
Related reading
01 · Category
Bankruptcy Chapter Details24 stats
01
Chapter 7 filings dominated at 65.8% of non-business in 2023
02
Chapter 13 filings totaled 159,500 in 2023, 36.2% of consumer cases
03
Chapter 11 filings reached 5,668 in 2023, up 5% from 2022
04
Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies: 139 cases in 2023, down 12% from peak
05
Subchapter V small business Chapter 11: 1,200 filings in 2023
06
Chapter 7 liquidation cases averaged 75% dismissal rate in 2023
07
Chapter 13 confirmation rate: 68.4% in 2023 across districts
08
Chapter 11 reorganization success: 10.2% full repayment plans in 2023
09
Average Chapter 7 case duration: 4.2 months in 2023
10
Chapter 13 plans averaged $36,000debt paid over 60 months in 2023
11
Business Chapter 11 filings: 78% under $1M debt threshold in 2023
12
Chapter 7 asset cases: only 2.1% had non-exempt assets in 2023
13
Chapter 13 filers had median secured debt of $112,500in 2023
14
Repeat Chapter 7 within 8 years: barred for 95% of prior filers in 2023
15
Chapter 11 mega-cases (> $100M): 25 filings in 2023
16
Chapter 12 success rate: 42% completion in 2023
17
Pro se Chapter 7: 75% of filings, 60% discharge rate in 2023
18
Chapter 13 mortgage arrears average: $18,200per case in 2023
19
Subchapter V dismissals: 35% within first year in 2023
20
Chapter 11 cramdown approvals: 15% of confirmed plans in 2023
21
Chapter 7 trustee payouts averaged $2,500per asset case in 2023
22
Chapter 13 early dismissals: 22% before 36 months in 2023
23
Cross-chapter conversions: 8,500 cases from 13 to 7 in 2023
24
Chapter 11 disclosure statements approved in 85% of cases in 2023
Interpretation
Bankruptcy Chapter Details Interpretation
Despite dominating the bankruptcy landscape with a 75% dismissal rate, Chapter 7's 'fresh start' often feels like a swift, bare-bones escape hatch, while the more arduous Chapter 13 path sees two-thirds of debtors grinding out an average of $600 per month only to have over a third of plans crumble before completion, revealing a system where success is often just a less painful form of failure.
02 · Category
Demographic Profiles23 stats
01
In 2023, 65% of filers were aged 25-44
02
Women filed 39% of individual bankruptcies in 2023, up from 35% in 2010
03
Black Americans filed at 4.2 times the rate of white Americans per capita in 2022
04
Hispanic filers made up 18.7% of total filings in 2023 despite 19% population share
05
Median age of Chapter 7 filers was 41.8 years in 2023
06
Single filers with dependents under 18 were 28% of cases in 2023
07
Veterans comprised 7.2% of bankruptcy filers in 2022, higher than 5.5% population rate
08
Low-income filers (under 200% FPL) were 62% of Chapter 7 in 2023
09
College-educated filers dropped to 22% in 2023 from 28% in 2007
10
Rural residents filed at 1.8 per 1,000 vs 1.2 urban in 2023
11
LGBTQ+ individuals overrepresented at 9% of filers vs 5.5% population in 2022 surveys
12
Median income of filers was $42,500in 2023, 55% of national median
13
Unemployed filers at filing time: 14.3% in 2023 Chapter 7 cases
14
Filers with medical debt as primary cause: 52% in 2023 consumer surveys
15
Homeowners filed 31% of bankruptcies despite 65% ownership rate in 2023
16
Self-employed filers: 8.7% of total in 2023
17
Disability status among filers: 22% in 2023, vs 13% general population
18
Immigrants (non-citizen) filers: 12.4% in 2023 border states data
19
Gen Z (18-24) filings up 35% since 2019 to 4.2% of total in 2023
20
Baby boomers (55+) stable at 25% of filings in 2023
21
Married couples joint filings: 13.1% decline since 2010 to 2023
22
High school or less education: 48% of filers in 2023
23
Chapter 13 filers median dependents: 1.8 vs 0.9 in Chapter 7 in 2023
Interpretation
Demographic Profiles Interpretation
The numbers paint a stark, deeply human portrait of a nation where bankruptcy is less a story of financial mismanagement and more a predictable crisis hitting hardest at the crossroads of youth, medical bills, and systemic inequality, while leaving the college-educated and the comfortably housed relatively unscathed.
03 · Category
Economic Correlations20 stats
01
Medical debt drove 58% of Chapter 7 filings in 2023 surveys
02
Credit card debt averaged $15,800per filer, 42% of unsecured debt in 2023
03
Unemployment rate above 6% correlated with 25% filing spike historically
04
Housing cost burden >30% income preceded 67% of filings in 2023
05
Student loan debt >$40k in 29% of filers under 40 in 2023
06
Inflation-adjusted filings rose 18% with CPI up 7% in 2023
07
Median filer unsecured debt: $28,400in 2023, up 12% from 2020
08
Auto loan delinquencies >90 days predicted 15% of Chapter 13 in 2023
09
Gig economy workers filed 2.5x rate of traditional employees in 2023
10
Recession fears boosted filings 11% pre-2023 slowdown
11
Wage stagnation <2% real growth linked to 20% filing increase 2010-2023
12
Payday loan usage in 41% of filers prior to 2023 bankruptcy
13
Corporate defaults up 52% correlated with small business Chapter 11 rise in 2023
14
Rent burden >50% income in 35% of urban filers 2023
15
Crypto losses cited in 3.2% of 2023 business filings
16
Supply chain disruptions caused 14% of Chapter 11 in manufacturing 2023
17
Personal savings rate <5% preceded 55% of consumer filings 2023
18
Foreclosure starts up 21% linked to 18% Chapter 13 surge 2023
19
Healthcare costs >$10k OOP in 48% of medical-driven bankruptcies 2023
20
E-commerce debt from BNPL schemes in 12% of young filers 2023
Interpretation
Economic Correlations Interpretation
America’s financial safety net is being shredded by medical bills, predatory lending, and stagnant wages, leaving a mountain of debt that families can no longer outrun.
More related reading
04 · Category
National Filing Statistics30 stats
01
In 2023, total US bankruptcy filings reached 517,308 cases, a 14.2% increase from 452,990 in 2022
02
Non-business filings in the US hit 440,172 in 2023, up 17.3% from 375,388 in 2022
03
Business bankruptcy filings totaled 17,436 in 2023, a 12.1% decline from 19,866 in 2022
04
Chapter 7 filings nationwide were 326,716 in 2023, comprising 63.2% of all filings
05
Total filings peaked at 1,402,967 in 2005 during the housing crisis
06
Filings dropped to a low of 400,452 in 2010 post-BAPCPA implementation
07
2020 saw 544,463 filings despite COVID-19 moratoriums, down 10% from 2019's 605,598
08
Filings surged 28% in Q4 2023 to 141,000 quarter-over-quarter
09
Annual filings averaged 750,000 from 2000-2010
10
Post-2021, filings rebounded 15% yearly through 2023
11
Consumer filings constituted 98.7% of total in 2023
12
Filings per 1,000 population stood at 1.55 in 2023, up from 1.36 in 2022
13
Total filings from 2010-2023 averaged 465,000 annually
14
2022 filings totaled 452,990, the lowest since 1981 excluding COVID years
15
Filings increased 17% in districts with high unemployment in 2023
16
Pro se filings made up 72% of consumer cases in 2023
17
Joint filings accounted for 12.5% of non-business cases in 2023
18
Filings rose 22% among under-35 age group in 2023
19
Average filing age was 43.2 years in 2023 surveys
20
Filings per capita highest in Southern districts at 2.1 per 1,000 in 2023
21
Total filings in FY2021 were 414,188, down 24% from 2019
22
2019 filings reached 605,598 amid economic slowdown signals
23
Filings declined 12% from 2015-2019 averaging 550,000 yearly
24
Pandemic-era filings dropped 30% in 2020 Q2 due to CARES Act
25
2024 Q1 filings up 9% to 126,000 from prior year
26
Historical peak filings per capita was 6.2 per 1,000 in 2005
27
Filings correlated 0.85 with unemployment rates historically
28
Non-white filers increased to 42% of total in 2023 from 38% in 2020
29
Female primary filers rose to 38.5% in 2023
30
Repeat filers comprised 11.2% of 2023 cases within 8 years of prior filing
Interpretation
National Filing Statistics Interpretation
The American dream took a 17% hit in 2023 as over half a million individuals, primarily navigating the legal maze alone, declared bankruptcy, suggesting the economic 'recovery' feels a lot like quicksand for the average consumer.
05 · Category
State and Regional Data29 stats
01
Delaware saw 18,402 filings in 2023, highest per capita at 18.2 per 1,000
02
Southern District of Georgia led districts with 5,212 filings per 100k pop in 2023
03
California Central District: 28,450 filings in 2023, down 5% YoY
04
Tennessee Western: 12.1 per 1,000 population filings in 2023
05
Nevada filings: 4,850 in 2023, 1.8x national average per capita
06
Alabama Northern: 9,200 filings, highest state rate at 17.5 per 1,000
07
Florida Middle District: 22% increase to 15,600 filings in 2023
08
Kentucky Western: 8.9 per 1,000, top 5 districts nationally 2023
09
Illinois Northern: 18,100 filings amid Chicago metro decline 2023
10
Mississippi Southern: 4.2 per 1,000, rural high-rate district 2023
11
Georgia Middle: 7,800 filings, 16% uptick in 2023
12
Texas Eastern: 11,200 cases, oil region volatility 2023
13
New Jersey: statewide 9,500 filings, 10.2 per 1,000 urban rate 2023
14
Arkansas Eastern: 6.1 per 1,000, consistent high filer 2023
15
Louisiana Western: 5,900 filings post-hurricane recovery 2023
16
Oklahoma Western: 7.2 per 1,000 energy sector impact 2023
17
South Carolina: 8,400 statewide, coastal tourist debt 2023
18
West Virginia Northern: 4.1 per 1,000 Appalachian decline 2023
19
Indiana Northern: 9,800 filings manufacturing hub 2023
20
Ohio Southern: 12,500 cases rust belt persistence 2023
21
Michigan Eastern: 15,200 Detroit metro auto impact 2023
22
Pennsylvania Middle: 6,700 coal region filings 2023
23
Missouri Eastern: 8,900 St. Louis area 2023
24
Colorado: statewide 5,200, mountain resort debt 2023
25
Utah: 4,100 filings Mormon community outlier 2023
26
Alaska: lowest at 0.9 per 1,000 despite high costs 2023
27
New York Southern: 12,300 Wall Street contrast 2023
28
Hawaii District: 2.1 per 1,000 island economics 2023
29
DC: 1,800 filings federal employee stability 2023
Interpretation
State and Regional Data Interpretation
America’s financial distress is a bicoastal fever, but the true epidemic burns hottest where old industries have rusted, energy booms have busted, and even paradise is not immune to the sobering math of debt.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Bankruptcy Filing Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/bankruptcy-filing-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "Bankruptcy Filing Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/bankruptcy-filing-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "Bankruptcy Filing Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/bankruptcy-filing-statistics.
Sources & references
64 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level