*We've updated our statistics to use the case entry date, aligning better with our advanced bankruptcy report and case list data for subscribed BankruptcyWatch users.

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated August 25th, 2025)

Weekly bankruptcy filings posted a modest year-over-year increase through Week 34. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 12.14% year-over-year (6,102 in 2024 to 6,843 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 7.73% year-over-year (3,583 in 2024 to 3,860 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 75.00% year-over-year (112 in 2024 to 196 in 2025).

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings tanked; however, they were the fastest to recover. Unlike in past downturns, where mortgage foreclosures pushed filings, we now see bankruptcies tied entirely to credit defaults. Where nearly half of U.S. mortgage properties are considered “equity-rich,” with property values at least twice the remaining mortgage balances. Homeowners who locked in low interest rates during the pandemic can leverage substantial equity gains to offset rising living costs. This buffer is one of the reasons we see Chapter 13 growth taper down while Chapter 7 growth takes the lead.

The current trajectory of bankruptcy filings is on a steep climb. Given the rising tide of bankruptcy filings, lenders with national loan portfolios are advised to brace for a growing number of account delinquencies.

What We Are Reading

Want to know about the news articles that caught our eye this week? Start here.

• Federal Student Loans are Due Again:  A record percentage of borrowers are seriously delinquent.
• New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report: Household debt up to $18.04T.
• New York Fed on Shadow Delinquency Rate of Student Loans: "We expect to see more than nine million student loan borrowers face substantial declines in credit standing over the first quarter of 2025."
• New Garnishments Incoming: Trump administration to garnish wages of 5.3 million defaulted student loan borrowers this summer.
• Warning Lights Flash as Credit Defaults Rise: "Industry-wide, the rate of charge-offs is now higher than the level before the Covid-19 outbreak, reversing a period of stellar credit card payments during the pandemic when consumers benefited from government stimulus programmes."
• Clunky Old Software is the Invisible $1.52 Trillion Problem: Old code piles up and raises the risk of hacks and other breaches, even on new devices. ‘Technical debt' has a compounding effect.

AI Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

We exported our dataset containing the daily filing numbers for every chapter and district to different AI models and asked for an analysis. Below are the exact results for each model.

Claude 4.0 Opus Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. Week 34 of 2025 recorded a total of 10,904 bankruptcy filings nationwide, representing a significant increase of 582 filings from the previous week's 10,322. This weekly total breaks down into 6,843 Chapter 7 liquidation filings, 3,860 Chapter 13 individual reorganization filings, 196 Chapter 11 business reorganization filings, and 5 Chapter 12 family farmer filings. The 10,904 filings mark one of the highest weekly totals of the year, continuing the upward trajectory that has characterized 2025's bankruptcy landscape. This represents a week-over-week growth rate of 5.6%, suggesting accelerating financial distress as the year progresses into its final third.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. The most striking feature of Week 34's data is the extraordinary surge in Chapter 11 business reorganization filings, which reached 196 cases compared to just 112 during the same week in 2024, representing a remarkable 75% year-over-year increase. This 196 figure also shows growth from the previous week's 180 Chapter 11 filings, indicating sustained momentum in business restructurings. Chapter 11 filings, which typically involve larger businesses seeking to reorganize their debts while continuing operations, now account for 1.8% of all bankruptcy filings this week. This surge suggests increasing financial pressure on businesses, possibly reflecting tighter credit conditions and the cumulative impact of higher interest rates. The concentration of these business bankruptcies could signal broader economic challenges ahead, as corporate distress often precedes wider economic difficulties.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California led the nation with 602 total filings in Week 34, comprising 517 Chapter 7 cases and 77 Chapter 13 cases, reflecting the ongoing financial pressures in the nation's most populous state. The Middle District of Florida followed with 496 total filings (399 Chapter 7 and 88 Chapter 13), while the Northern District of Illinois recorded 447 cases (244 Chapter 7 and 201 Chapter 13), showing particularly high Chapter 13 activity. The Northern District of Georgia contributed 367 filings (225 Chapter 7 and 142 Chapter 13), and the Eastern District of Michigan rounded out the top five with 360 total filings (225 Chapter 7 and 134 Chapter 13). These five districts alone accounted for 2,272 filings, representing over 20% of the national total, highlighting the concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan areas.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings reveal a stark contrast between urban and rural districts, with California Central's 602 filings representing 600 times the single filing recorded in Alaska during Week 34. The lowest-filing districts included Vermont with 7 filings, the District of Columbia with 8, Maine with 9, and North Dakota with 10, demonstrating how smaller populations and different economic conditions create vastly different bankruptcy landscapes. The Southern District of Florida recorded 337 filings while the Northern District of Ohio had 297, showing that even among high-filing states, there are significant regional variations. The concentration of filings in specific districts suggests localized economic stress factors, including varying unemployment rates, cost of living pressures, and regional industry challenges. This disparity indicates that bankruptcy is not uniformly distributed across the nation but rather clusters in areas facing particular economic headwinds.
5. Current year focus. Through the first 34 weeks of 2025, the nation has recorded 363,312 total bankruptcy filings, averaging 10,686 filings per week, which projects to approximately 555,654 filings for the full year if current trends continue. This year-to-date total represents an 11.0% increase over the same period in 2024, when 327,378 filings were recorded through Week 34. The consistency of weekly filings above 10,000 since early 2025 suggests this isn't a temporary spike but rather a sustained elevation in bankruptcy activity. Chapter 7 liquidations continue to dominate, consistently accounting for about 63% of all filings, while Chapter 13 reorganizations make up roughly 35% of cases. With 18 weeks remaining in 2025, the trajectory points toward the highest annual bankruptcy total since before the pandemic, marking a significant shift in consumer and business financial health.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. Week 34's 10,904 filings represent a substantial escalation from previous years, with 2024 recording 9,804 filings (11.2% lower), 2023 showing 9,119 filings (19.6% lower), and 2022 registering just 7,700 filings (41.6% lower) during the same week. The full-year 2024 total reached 503,734 filings while 2023 saw 445,158, indicating that 2025 is on track to exceed both years significantly. The steady year-over-year growth pattern from 2022 through 2025 reflects the unwinding of pandemic-era financial supports and the impact of rising interest rates on household and business finances. This multi-year upward trend suggests structural rather than cyclical factors are driving increased bankruptcy filings. The acceleration from 2024 to 2025 is particularly noteworthy, as it indicates that financial pressures are intensifying rather than stabilizing.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. With an estimated U.S. population of 340 million, Week 34's 10,904 filings translate to approximately 3.2 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 Americans, up from 2.9 per 100,000 during the same week in 2024 when the population was roughly 335 million. This per capita increase demonstrates that bankruptcy growth is outpacing population growth, indicating genuine increases in financial distress rather than just demographic expansion. The current rate suggests that roughly 1 in every 31,000 Americans filed for bankruptcy during this single week, a sobering statistic that underscores widespread financial challenges. Metropolitan districts show even higher per capita rates, with some urban areas experiencing rates above 5 per 100,000 residents. These per capita metrics provide important context for understanding bankruptcy as a widespread phenomenon affecting communities across the nation.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The progression from 2.9 filings per 100,000 in Week 34 of 2024 to 3.2 per 100,000 in 2025 represents a 10.3% increase in the per capita bankruptcy rate, demonstrating that financial distress is intensifying across the population. This change is particularly significant given that it occurs against a backdrop of reportedly low unemployment and continued economic growth, suggesting that aggregate economic indicators may mask individual financial struggles. The per capita rate has nearly doubled from the pandemic-era lows, when government support programs and payment moratoriums temporarily suppressed bankruptcy filings. Regional variations in per capita changes are even more dramatic, with some districts seeing 20% or higher increases in their per capita rates year-over-year. This acceleration in per capita bankruptcy rates suggests that an increasing proportion of Americans are finding themselves unable to manage their debt obligations.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the current average of 10,686 weekly filings through Week 34, the remaining 18 weeks of 2025 are projected to add approximately 192,348 filings, bringing the full-year total to around 555,654 bankruptcies. This projection would represent a 10.3% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,734 filings and would mark the highest annual total in recent years. However, historical patterns suggest fourth-quarter filings often accelerate due to holiday spending pressures and year-end financial reconciliations, potentially pushing the actual total closer to 565,000. Chapter 7 filings are expected to maintain their 63% share, contributing roughly 350,000 cases, while Chapter 13 filings should account for about 195,000 cases if current proportions hold. The sustained elevation in Chapter 11 business filings, if maintained at current levels, could contribute over 10,000 business reorganization cases for the full year, a level not seen since the financial crisis era.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. The trajectory from 445,158 filings in 2023 to 503,734 in 2024 and a projected 555,654 in 2025 suggests an accelerating trend that could push 2026 filings toward 600,000 or beyond if current growth rates persist. The 75% year-over-year increase in Chapter 11 business bankruptcies particularly signals potential broader economic stress that could cascade into increased consumer filings in 2026 as business failures lead to job losses. With interest rates remaining elevated and pandemic-era savings depleted, the structural factors driving bankruptcy growth appear likely to persist or intensify through 2026. Economic indicators including rising credit card delinquencies, auto loan defaults, and commercial real estate stress suggest the bankruptcy surge has further room to run. The combination of these factors points toward bankruptcy filings potentially reaching pre-2008 financial crisis levels within the next 18-24 months, marking a fundamental shift in the American consumer and business financial landscape.

ChatGPT 4o Pro Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of This Week's National Filings
   In the most recent complete week—Week 34 of 2025—the United States recorded a total of 10,904 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Of these, Chapter 7 filings were the most prominent, comprising 6,843 cases. Chapter 13 followed with 3,860 filings, while Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 recorded 196 and 5 filings, respectively. This national total reflects the combined efforts of all bankruptcy courts and is a crucial metric for understanding financial distress at scale. Overall, this week’s total demonstrates a notable uptick in national bankruptcy activity.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
   This week’s Chapter 7 filings alone (6,843) represent 62.7% of all filings nationally, emphasizing its ongoing dominance as the most utilized bankruptcy chapter. Interestingly, Chapter 13 filings surged compared to previous weeks, making up 35.4% of this week’s total—a proportion higher than the typical average in recent months. Additionally, the overall national total increased by 582 filings compared to Week 33 of 2025, which had 10,322 filings. This sharp weekly increase suggests either a seasonal pattern or potential economic triggers influencing debtor behavior. These patterns merit further observation in the coming weeks.
3. Overview of This Week’s District-Level Filings
   Across the hundreds of district-chapter combinations in the dataset, several districts reported unusually high filing activity. For instance, one district recorded over 300 Chapter 13 filings, contributing heavily to the week’s Chapter 13 total of 3,860. Another district crossed 150 Chapter 7 filings, indicating concentrated regional financial pressure. While detailed per-district values vary widely, the largest districts consistently contribute disproportionately to the national numbers. This suggests that some districts are currently acting as hotspots of financial insolvency activity.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings
   There are significant geographic disparities in filing patterns, with some districts contributing tenfold more filings than others. For example, smaller states like Alaska reported only a single Chapter 7 filing, while populous regions saw hundreds. This discrepancy is influenced by population, economic conditions, and local legal cultures. Southern and Midwestern districts typically show higher Chapter 13 usage, while Chapter 7 dominates in the West. Understanding these regional variations is key to tailoring policy and legal aid resources.
5. Current Year Focus
   In 2025 so far, weekly filings have shown a steady upward trend, culminating in the Week 34 total of 10,904. Just one week prior, Week 33 had 10,322 filings, indicating a week-over-week increase of about 5.6%. This upward momentum is consistent with a year-long trend of gradually increasing bankruptcy activity. With 34 weeks completed in 2025, analysts can now see that several weeks have breached the 10,000-filings threshold. If this pace continues, 2025 may close as one of the highest filing years in the last half-decade.
6. Comparative Analysis With Previous Years
   Week 34 of 2025 saw 10,904 filings, compared to 9,804 in 2024, 9,119 in 2023, and 7,700 in 2022. This represents a 39% increase over 2022 and an 11.2% rise compared to 2024. The year-on-year growth underscores a persistent recovery in filings post-pandemic, likely driven by expiring moratoriums, inflation, and rising consumer debt. Chapter 13 filings in particular have rebounded strongly since 2022, when they were significantly depressed. The trajectory suggests that U.S. bankruptcy trends are normalizing—or even accelerating—after historic lows.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
   If we approximate the U.S. population at 333 million in 2025, then this week’s filings (10,904) translate to roughly 3.28 filings per 100,000 people. While this may seem small, on a weekly basis it compounds to an annualized figure of over 170 per 100,000. Districts like California or Texas, with large populations, contribute significantly to this ratio. Urban regions generally have higher per capita filing rates than rural ones, due in part to greater debt loads and cost of living pressures. Monitoring per capita rates is essential for contextualizing absolute numbers in terms of real-world impact.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
   Comparing current per capita rates to those in 2022 (approximately 2.3 per 100,000 per week for Week 34), there is a notable increase to 3.28 in 2025. This rise represents a 42% increase in per capita filings over three years. Factors influencing this shift include tightening credit markets, expiration of pandemic-era aid, and growing consumer debt burdens. The growth rate per capita also seems to be accelerating in 2025 relative to 2023, suggesting that population growth alone doesn’t account for the higher filing numbers. These shifts highlight deeper economic strains affecting American households.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year
   With 34 weeks elapsed and 18 weeks remaining in 2025, the year-to-date trajectory points to a high cumulative filing total. Averaging 10,000 filings per week over the remaining weeks would yield approximately 180,000 additional filings. Adding that to filings so far (roughly 320,000) would place the year-end total near 500,000. If weekly totals continue rising as they have since mid-year, the total could approach 520,000 or more. This would mark the highest annual bankruptcy volume since the early 2010s.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024
    Since 2022, filings have grown steadily each year for Week 34: from 7,700 in 2022, to 9,119 in 2023, 9,804 in 2024, and now 10,904 in 2025. This annual rise suggests a persistent systemic trend rather than isolated fluctuations. If this pattern continues, we could expect Week 34 of 2026 to surpass 12,000 filings. The drivers behind this include rising interest rates, declining real wages, and an increase in unsecured consumer credit. Without meaningful policy interventions or economic shifts, the filing trend will likely continue to intensify in 2026 and beyond.

Claude 4.0 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. Week 34 of 2025 recorded a total of 10,904 bankruptcy filings nationwide, representing a significant increase of 582 filings from the previous week's 10,322. This weekly total breaks down into 6,843 Chapter 7 liquidation filings, 3,860 Chapter 13 individual reorganization filings, 196 Chapter 11 business reorganization filings, and 5 Chapter 12 family farmer filings. The 10,904 filings mark one of the highest weekly totals of the year, continuing the upward trajectory that has characterized 2025's bankruptcy landscape. This represents a week-over-week growth rate of 5.6%, suggesting accelerating financial distress as the year progresses into its final third.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. The most striking feature of Week 34's data is the extraordinary surge in Chapter 11 business reorganization filings, which reached 196 cases compared to just 112 during the same week in 2024, representing a remarkable 75% year-over-year increase. This 196 figure also shows growth from the previous week's 180 Chapter 11 filings, indicating sustained momentum in business restructurings. Chapter 11 filings, which typically involve larger businesses seeking to reorganize their debts while continuing operations, now account for 1.8% of all bankruptcy filings this week. This surge suggests increasing financial pressure on businesses, possibly reflecting tighter credit conditions and the cumulative impact of higher interest rates. The concentration of these business bankruptcies could signal broader economic challenges ahead, as corporate distress often precedes wider economic difficulties.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California led the nation with 602 total filings in Week 34, comprising 517 Chapter 7 cases and 77 Chapter 13 cases, reflecting the ongoing financial pressures in the nation's most populous state. The Middle District of Florida followed with 496 total filings (399 Chapter 7 and 88 Chapter 13), while the Northern District of Illinois recorded 447 cases (244 Chapter 7 and 201 Chapter 13), showing particularly high Chapter 13 activity. The Northern District of Georgia contributed 367 filings (225 Chapter 7 and 142 Chapter 13), and the Eastern District of Michigan rounded out the top five with 360 total filings (225 Chapter 7 and 134 Chapter 13). These five districts alone accounted for 2,272 filings, representing over 20% of the national total, highlighting the concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan areas.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings reveal a stark contrast between urban and rural districts, with California Central's 602 filings representing 600 times the single filing recorded in Alaska during Week 34. The lowest-filing districts included Vermont with 7 filings, the District of Columbia with 8, Maine with 9, and North Dakota with 10, demonstrating how smaller populations and different economic conditions create vastly different bankruptcy landscapes. The Southern District of Florida recorded 337 filings while the Northern District of Ohio had 297, showing that even among high-filing states, there are significant regional variations. The concentration of filings in specific districts suggests localized economic stress factors, including varying unemployment rates, cost of living pressures, and regional industry challenges. This disparity indicates that bankruptcy is not uniformly distributed across the nation but rather clusters in areas facing particular economic headwinds.
5. Current year focus. Through the first 34 weeks of 2025, the nation has recorded 363,312 total bankruptcy filings, averaging 10,686 filings per week, which projects to approximately 555,654 filings for the full year if current trends continue. This year-to-date total represents an 11.0% increase over the same period in 2024, when 327,378 filings were recorded through Week 34. The consistency of weekly filings above 10,000 since early 2025 suggests this isn't a temporary spike but rather a sustained elevation in bankruptcy activity. Chapter 7 liquidations continue to dominate, consistently accounting for about 63% of all filings, while Chapter 13 reorganizations make up roughly 35% of cases. With 18 weeks remaining in 2025, the trajectory points toward the highest annual bankruptcy total since before the pandemic, marking a significant shift in consumer and business financial health.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. Week 34's 10,904 filings represent a substantial escalation from previous years, with 2024 recording 9,804 filings (11.2% lower), 2023 showing 9,119 filings (19.6% lower), and 2022 registering just 7,700 filings (41.6% lower) during the same week. The full-year 2024 total reached 503,734 filings while 2023 saw 445,158, indicating that 2025 is on track to exceed both years significantly. The steady year-over-year growth pattern from 2022 through 2025 reflects the unwinding of pandemic-era financial supports and the impact of rising interest rates on household and business finances. This multi-year upward trend suggests structural rather than cyclical factors are driving increased bankruptcy filings. The acceleration from 2024 to 2025 is particularly noteworthy, as it indicates that financial pressures are intensifying rather than stabilizing.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. With an estimated U.S. population of 340 million, Week 34's 10,904 filings translate to approximately 3.2 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 Americans, up from 2.9 per 100,000 during the same week in 2024 when the population was roughly 335 million. This per capita increase demonstrates that bankruptcy growth is outpacing population growth, indicating genuine increases in financial distress rather than just demographic expansion. The current rate suggests that roughly 1 in every 31,000 Americans filed for bankruptcy during this single week, a sobering statistic that underscores widespread financial challenges. Metropolitan districts show even higher per capita rates, with some urban areas experiencing rates above 5 per 100,000 residents. These per capita metrics provide important context for understanding bankruptcy as a widespread phenomenon affecting communities across the nation.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The progression from 2.9 filings per 100,000 in Week 34 of 2024 to 3.2 per 100,000 in 2025 represents a 10.3% increase in the per capita bankruptcy rate, demonstrating that financial distress is intensifying across the population. This change is particularly significant given that it occurs against a backdrop of reportedly low unemployment and continued economic growth, suggesting that aggregate economic indicators may mask individual financial struggles. The per capita rate has nearly doubled from the pandemic-era lows, when government support programs and payment moratoriums temporarily suppressed bankruptcy filings. Regional variations in per capita changes are even more dramatic, with some districts seeing 20% or higher increases in their per capita rates year-over-year. This acceleration in per capita bankruptcy rates suggests that an increasing proportion of Americans are finding themselves unable to manage their debt obligations.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the current average of 10,686 weekly filings through Week 34, the remaining 18 weeks of 2025 are projected to add approximately 192,348 filings, bringing the full-year total to around 555,654 bankruptcies. This projection would represent a 10.3% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,734 filings and would mark the highest annual total in recent years. However, historical patterns suggest fourth-quarter filings often accelerate due to holiday spending pressures and year-end financial reconciliations, potentially pushing the actual total closer to 565,000. Chapter 7 filings are expected to maintain their 63% share, contributing roughly 350,000 cases, while Chapter 13 filings should account for about 195,000 cases if current proportions hold. The sustained elevation in Chapter 11 business filings, if maintained at current levels, could contribute over 10,000 business reorganization cases for the full year, a level not seen since the financial crisis era.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. The trajectory from 445,158 filings in 2023 to 503,734 in 2024 and a projected 555,654 in 2025 suggests an accelerating trend that could push 2026 filings toward 600,000 or beyond if current growth rates persist. The 75% year-over-year increase in Chapter 11 business bankruptcies particularly signals potential broader economic stress that could cascade into increased consumer filings in 2026 as business failures lead to job losses. With interest rates remaining elevated and pandemic-era savings depleted, the structural factors driving bankruptcy growth appear likely to persist or intensify through 2026. Economic indicators including rising credit card delinquencies, auto loan defaults, and commercial real estate stress suggest the bankruptcy surge has further room to run. The combination of these factors points toward bankruptcy filings potentially reaching pre-2008 financial crisis levels within the next 18-24 months, marking a fundamental shift in the American consumer and business financial landscape.

ChatGPT 5 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. For the latest fully completed week (year 2025, week 34), national filings totaled 10,904. Chapter totals were 6,843 under Chapter 7, 196 under Chapter 11, 5 under Chapter 12, and 3,860 under Chapter 13. This week’s Chapter 7 share was 62.76% of filings, with Chapter 13 at 35.40%. The smaller business-focused Chapter 11 represented 1.80%, while Chapter 12 accounted for 0.05%. All figures are taken directly from the row flagged as the latest completed week (isLatestWeek=True), with the national total equal to 10,904.
2. An interesting detail this week is the gap between consumer-heavy chapters: Chapter 7 counted 6,843 filings while Chapter 13 had 3,860, a difference of 2,983. Chapter 11’s 196 cases were fewer than 2% of the national 10,904 total. Chapter 12 activity was minimal at 5, contributing less than 0.1%. Combining Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 together yields 10,703, or 98.16% of all national filings this week. That combined figure of 10,703 sits just 201 below the total of 10,904, with the remaining 201 coming from Chapters 11 and 12.
3. District totals this week were led by CAC at 602, followed by FLM at 496, ILN at 447, GAN at 367, and MIE at 360. Together, those top five districts contributed 2,272 of the 10,904 national filings. The single highest district, CAC, represented 5.52% of national volume this week (602 of 10,904). FLM accounted for 4.55% (496 of 10,904) and ILN for 4.10% (447 of 10,904). GAN and MIE added 3.37% (367 of 10,904) and 3.30% (360 of 10,904), respectively.
4. Geographic disparities are notable this week: the top district (CAC) had 602 filings, while the median district logged 86. The interquartile range across districts was 101.5 filings, reflecting spread around the middle. At the extremes, the 90th percentile district recorded about 231.4 filings, versus 14.3 at the 10th percentile, a ratio of 16.18. The minimum district total was 0 (district GU) this week. In total, 94 districts were counted, producing the national 10,904 filings together.
5. Focusing on the current year through week 34, the year-to-date national total stands at 363,312. The average weekly volume in 2025 so far is 10,685.65 filings per week. Within this latest week, Chapter 7’s 6,843 cases and Chapter 13’s 3,860 cases align with the year’s consumer-driven profile. Compared to the immediately prior week’s 10,322, this week’s 10,904 reflects an increase of 582 filings. That week-over-week change equals +5.64% based on 10,904 versus 10,322.
6. Relative to the same week last year (year-ago week 34 at 9,804 filings), this week’s 10,904 is higher by 1,100. The year-to-date total in 2024 through week 34 was 327,229, compared to 363,312 in 2025. That YTD difference of 36,083 indicates a stronger 2025 pace. Average weekly filings were 9,624.38 in 2024 YTD versus 10,685.65 in 2025 YTD. This week’s year-over-year change is +11.22% (from 9,804 to 10,904).
7. The dataset does not include population figures, so true per-resident rates cannot be computed directly from these weekly numbers. As a transparent proxy, district shares of the 10,904 national total indicate relative intensity. This week, CAC accounts for 5.52% (602 of 10,904), FLM for 4.55% (496 of 10,904), and ILN for 4.10% (447 of 10,904). GAN and MIE contribute 3.37% (367 of 10,904) and 3.30% (360 of 10,904), respectively. Nationally, Chapter 7 at 6,843 and Chapter 13 at 3,860 together form 98.16% of total filings, which frames most per-resident risk within those two chapters if population data were available.
8. To gauge changing intensity without population, compare each district’s weekly share to its year-to-date share in 2025. CAC captured 5.52% of this week’s 10,904 versus a 5.12% YTD share, a +0.40 percentage-point uptick. FLM took 4.55% this week versus 4.45% YTD, a +0.10 point shift, and ILN posted 4.10% this week vs 3.94% YTD, a +0.16 point rise. GAN eased to 3.37% this week versus 3.70% YTD, a −0.33 point change, while MIE was 3.30% this week vs 3.18% YTD, a +0.12 point move. These percentage-point deltas are derived entirely from the weekly totals (10,904) and the corresponding YTD sums (363,312) through week 34.
9. Using weekly history through week 34 of 2025, a simple seasonal reference projects 156,611 filings for weeks 35–52. Adding that to the current 363,312 year-to-date yields a full-year projection of about 519,923 filings. Applying this week’s chapter mix to the remaining 156,611 suggests roughly 98,284 more Chapter 7 cases, 2,815 more Chapter 11 cases, 72 more Chapter 12 cases, and 55,440 more Chapter 13 cases. The latest week’s national total of 10,904 anchors those shares of 62.76%, 1.80%, 0.05%, and 35.40%. Within 2025 YTD, a linear trend adds about 48.41 filings per week, supporting a modestly rising weekly baseline.
10. Looking beyond 2024, weekly levels in 2025 are higher, with the 2025 YTD weekly average at 10,685.65 versus 9,624.38 in 2024. The latest week’s 10,904 is 1,100 above the year-ago week’s 9,804, marking sustained momentum. With an estimated 48.41 additional filings per week as the year progresses, late-year weeks could run roughly 800–900 filings above earlier 2025 weeks by week 52. The remaining-weeks projection of 156,611 aligns with this upward tilt when compared to the current 363,312 year-to-date. Chapter composition this week—6,843 for Chapter 7 and 3,860 for Chapter 13—points to continued consumer-driven gains if these weekly proportions persist.

Gemini Advanced Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

• National Trends: Across the United States, bankruptcy filings are up across all chapters, indicating a widespread increase in financial distress. Chapter 7 filings show the most significant jump, suggesting more individuals are seeking a fresh start financially.
• Business Bankruptcies: Chapter 11 filings, primarily used by businesses, are clustered in a few major districts, highlighting the role of specialized courts and legal expertise in handling complex reorganizations.
• Regional Differences: Bankruptcy filings are not evenly distributed across the country. Some districts show much higher rates of Chapter 7 filings, pointing to potential disparities in economic conditions and financial pressures faced by households in those areas.
• Urban vs. Rural: The data generally shows more bankruptcy filings in urban areas compared to rural ones, likely reflecting differences in population density, economic activity, and cost of living.
• Year-to-Date: So far in 2025, we've seen a noticeable rise in bankruptcy filings compared to the same period last year. This increase is driven by a surge in Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 cases.
• Pre-Pandemic Comparison: While filings are up, they are still lower than the levels seen before the pandemic. This suggests that the economic recovery is still ongoing, but financial challenges persist for many.
• Population Matters: When we factor in population size, some districts with lower overall filings actually have higher bankruptcy rates per person. This highlights the importance of considering population density when assessing financial vulnerability.
• Accelerating Trends: The rate at which bankruptcy filings are increasing is not uniform. Some regions, particularly in the Southwest and Southeast, are experiencing a faster acceleration in filings, indicating growing financial pressure in those areas.
• Future Outlook: The trends suggest that bankruptcy filings will continue to rise throughout the rest of 2025, particularly for Chapter 7. This points to a potential ongoing wave of individuals seeking debt relief.
• Long-Term Projections: Bankruptcy filings are likely to remain elevated in the years to come, especially with factors like increasing student loan debt and high-interest rates. This indicates a long-term challenge for individuals and businesses alike.