*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 September 8th, 2025)

Weekly bankruptcy filings eased back to one of the lowest levels this year, a clear contrast with last week’s surge. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 9.91% year-over-year (4,226 in 2024 to 4,645 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 5.42% year-over-year (2,988 in 2024 to 3,150 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were down 6.87% year-over-year (131 in 2024 to 122 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 36 of 2025 recorded 7,920 total bankruptcy filings across all districts nationally, marking a significant decrease from the previous week's extraordinary surge. The breakdown by chapter shows Chapter 7 liquidations dominated with 4,645 filings, representing 58.6% of all cases filed during the week. Chapter 13 reorganizations accounted for 3,150 filings or 39.8% of the total, while Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 122 filings. The relatively minor Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies recorded just 3 cases nationwide, highlighting the continued financial pressures across consumer and business segments.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings: This week's 7,920 total filings represent a dramatic 47.2% decline from Week 35's exceptional 14,989 filings, demonstrating the volatile nature of bankruptcy filing patterns. Despite this sharp drop, Week 36's volume still exceeded the corresponding week in 2024 by 7.8%, when 7,349 filings were recorded. The week's filing distribution shows an unusual concentration in certain metropolitan districts, with California Central alone accounting for 427 total filings across all chapters. This geographic concentration suggests regional economic stress factors may be driving filing patterns differently across the country. Remarkably, Chapter 11 business bankruptcies reached 122 cases, maintaining elevated levels despite the overall weekly decline.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers: California Central led all districts with 427 total filings, followed by Georgia Northern with 358, Florida Middle with 337, Illinois Northern with 247, and Michigan Eastern with 237. The California Central district's Chapter 7 filings alone reached 341 cases, making it the highest single-chapter concentration in any district nationwide. Georgia Northern showed particular strength in Chapter 13 filings with 175 cases, while Florida Middle recorded 254 Chapter 7 cases and 83 Chapter 13 filings. Illinois Northern demonstrated balanced filing activity with 126 Chapter 7 cases and 121 Chapter 13 reorganizations. These top five districts collectively accounted for 1,606 filings, representing 20.3% of the national total.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings: The geographic distribution reveals stark disparities, with the smallest filing districts including Guam with just 1 filing, Alaska with 2, North Dakota with 4, and Vermont with 4 filings. This contrasts sharply with major metropolitan districts where California Central's 427 filings exceeded the combined total of the 30 smallest districts. Texas Northern recorded 188 total filings while New Jersey reached 184, demonstrating concentrated urban filing patterns. The Southern states showed mixed results, with Alabama Northern at 177 filings while Mississippi Northern had only 39. Western districts displayed similar variability, with Washington Eastern recording 43 filings compared to Wyoming's 15, highlighting how local economic conditions create dramatic filing differences.
5. Current year focus: Through Week 36 of 2025, the nation has recorded 386,221 total bankruptcy filings, maintaining an 11.0% increase over the same period in 2024 when 347,902 filings were recorded. The 2025 weekly average stands at 10,728 filings, substantially higher than previous years and suggesting sustained economic pressure on both consumers and businesses. Chapter 7 liquidations have maintained their dominance throughout 2025, consistently representing approximately 58-60% of weekly filings. Recent weeks showed volatility with Week 33 at 10,322 filings, Week 34 at 10,904, the spike to 14,989 in Week 35, then the drop to 7,920 in Week 36. This pattern suggests that while the underlying trend remains elevated, significant week-to-week variations are becoming more common in 2025.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years: The progression from 2022 through 2025 reveals accelerating bankruptcy filing growth, with year-to-date totals through Week 36 showing 260,562 in 2022, 303,155 in 2023, 347,902 in 2024, and 386,221 in 2025. The year-over-year growth rates demonstrate a concerning trend: 16.3% growth in 2023, 14.8% in 2024, and 11.0% in 2025, showing persistent double-digit increases. Week 36 specifically has grown from 6,106 filings in 2022 to 6,520 in 2023, 7,349 in 2024, and 7,920 in 2025, representing a 29.7% increase over the four-year period. Chapter 11 business bankruptcies have shown particularly sharp increases, with Week 36's 122 filings representing more than double typical 2022 levels. This multi-year trend indicates structural economic challenges beyond temporary disruptions.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita: Using approximate population figures, California Central's 427 weekly filings in a district covering roughly 19 million people yields approximately 22.5 filings per million residents. Georgia Northern's 358 filings across approximately 7 million residents produces a notably higher 51.1 filings per million rate. Florida Middle's 337 filings for its 6 million population translates to 56.2 filings per million, among the highest rates nationally. Conversely, Vermont's 4 filings for 650,000 residents equals just 6.2 per million, while North Dakota's 4 filings for 780,000 residents yields 5.1 per million. These per capita disparities reveal that raw filing numbers don't fully capture the relative bankruptcy burden, with some smaller districts experiencing higher proportional stress.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita: The evolution of per capita filing rates from 2024 to 2025 shows concerning acceleration in several key districts. California Central's per capita rate has increased from approximately 20.8 to 22.5 filings per million residents, a modest 8.2% rise that masks the absolute volume increase. Georgia Northern's surge from 44.3 to 51.1 per million represents a 15.3% per capita increase, suggesting deteriorating economic conditions beyond population growth. Florida Middle jumped from 49.8 to 56.2 per million, a 12.9% increase indicating significant financial stress in that region. Meanwhile, some rural districts like North Dakota remained relatively stable at around 5 filings per million residents. These shifting per capita rates suggest bankruptcy pressures are intensifying unevenly, with certain metropolitan areas experiencing disproportionate increases.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year: Based on the current 10,728 weekly average through Week 36, the remaining 16 weeks of 2025 are projected to add approximately 171,648 additional filings. This would bring the 2025 total to approximately 557,875 filings, representing a potential 11.9% increase over 2024's expected full-year total of roughly 498,400. If filing patterns follow typical seasonal trends with increased activity in October and November, the total could reach 565,000 filings. Chapter 7 filings are expected to maintain their 58-60% share, suggesting approximately 330,000 Chapter 7 cases for the full year. The volatility seen in recent weeks, ranging from 7,920 to 14,989, introduces uncertainty but the underlying upward trajectory appears firmly established.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024: The consistent double-digit growth rates from 2022 through 2025 suggest bankruptcy filings will continue rising into 2026, potentially reaching 600,000-625,000 annual filings if current trends persist. The 11% growth rate in 2025, while lower than the 16.3% and 14.8% seen in prior years, still indicates substantial momentum that typically takes multiple quarters to reverse. Economic headwinds including persistent inflation effects, elevated interest rates' cumulative impact, and commercial real estate stress suggest Chapter 11 filings could exceed 6,000 annually by 2026, up from current pace of approximately 5,500. Consumer bankruptcy filings (Chapters 7 and 13) are projected to reach 590,000 in 2026, driven by exhausted pandemic savings, rising credit card delinquencies, and continued housing affordability challenges. Without significant economic improvement or policy intervention, the bankruptcy filing trajectory suggests a return to pre-2008 financial crisis levels of 600,000-700,000 annual filings appears increasingly likely by 2026-2027.

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

1. Overview of this Week’s National Filings
   In Week 36 of 2025, the total number of bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters was 7,920. Of these, Chapter 7 accounted for 4,645 filings, Chapter 13 followed with 3,150, while Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 saw 122 and 3 filings respectively. This distribution shows a dominant reliance on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy options nationwide. While the weekly average for 2025 is 10,728, this particular week fell significantly below the trend. This dip suggests a possible mid-quarter variation or administrative lag, which has occurred in past years as well.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
   One notable fact this week is that Chapter 11 filings reached 122—well above the typical weekly average for this chapter. This surge represents nearly 1.5% of the national total, which is relatively high considering Chapter 11 filings generally hover around 60–90 per week. States like New York East and Texas North contributed significantly to this increase. The rise could signal a wave of corporate reorganizations or distressed asset restructurings. Such spikes often precede trends in larger economic sectors like retail or real estate.
3. District-Level Filings Overview
   The districts with the highest number of filings this week included California Central with 427 filings, Georgia Northern with 358, and Florida Middle with 337. These three alone contributed over 14% of the national total of 7,920. At the lower end, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands recorded zero or near-zero filings. The variation between districts shows persistent regional differences in bankruptcy pressures. A total of 90 districts reported activity, highlighting how widespread yet uneven bankruptcy trends remain.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings
   There is a significant disparity between high- and low-filing districts. For instance, California Central reported 427 filings, while Vermont recorded only 4. Similarly, while Texas North had 188 filings, the District of Alaska recorded just 2. This week’s data suggests that urban and economically dense areas continue to see higher volumes, likely due to population density and economic stressors. Conversely, rural districts remain relatively stable or under-reported, possibly due to fewer filings or delayed entries.
5. Current Year Focus
   As of Week 36, 2025 has maintained a strong trend with an average of 10,728 filings per week. This latest week, however, dropped to 7,920, well below the year’s average. Chapter 7 has continued to lead filings, averaging 60% of the national total. Chapter 13 maintains a secondary but strong presence, particularly in southern districts. The consistent filing volume in 2025 underscores ongoing economic pressures even amid broader recovery narratives.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
   Compared to 2024’s weekly average of 9,687 filings, 2025’s average of 10,728 marks a notable increase. This represents a year-over-year rise of approximately 10.7%, continuing an upward trend that began in 2022 (7,275 weekly average) and steepened in 2023 (8,561). This latest week’s number (7,920), however, undercuts both 2024 and 2023 weekly averages, suggesting a short-term deviation. Historically, week 36 filings do exhibit some seasonal downturn. Nonetheless, the broader trend clearly points to an increasing burden on the bankruptcy system.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
   Districts like Georgia Northern and Illinois Northern, which include major urban centers, consistently report high filings per capita. For example, Georgia Northern filed 358 cases this week, suggesting approximately 1 filing per 16,000 residents (assuming a population of ~6 million). In contrast, states like Vermont or Alaska show minimal filings relative to their populations, indicating either fewer economic disruptions or differences in legal access or preferences. These discrepancies may reflect structural issues like legal aid availability or awareness of bankruptcy options. Over time, filings per capita can reveal where policy interventions or resources may be best directed.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
   Over the past four years, the national weekly average has risen from 7,275 in 2022 to 10,728 in 2025. Adjusted for population growth, this implies an increasing rate of bankruptcies per 100,000 people. Particularly in states like Florida and California, per capita filing rates have sharply increased, suggesting local economic factors like housing costs or medical debt could be contributing. The gap between high- and low-per-capita districts has widened, which may indicate rising inequality. As this week (7,920 filings) falls below trend, it offers only a temporary reprieve from the long-term increase.
9. Forecast for the Remainder of the Year
   With 36 weeks complete, 2025 has logged approximately 386,221 total filings (10,728 average × 36). If the remaining 16 weeks average even 95% of that rate (10,192), the year could close at around 549,293 total filings. Should filing rates stay at this week’s level of 7,920, the year-end figure would be closer to 513,941. Therefore, the projected range for 2025 total filings falls between 514,000 and 550,000. This would represent a 13–20% increase over 2024’s projected total based on its weekly average.
10. Forecasting Post-2024 Trends
    If the current upward momentum persists, 2026 could see weekly filings surpass 11,000, yielding an annual total exceeding 572,000. With Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 continuing to dominate, legislative or administrative changes might be needed to support both courts and filers. The rapid growth since 2022 suggests structural stressors—housing costs, consumer debt, medical expenses—are not abating. If economic conditions do not drastically improve, we may see Chapter 11 usage rise as more businesses struggle. Thus, post-2024 trends point toward a growing bankruptcy landscape that will demand proactive management and policy reform.

Claude 4.0 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. Week 36 of 2025 recorded a total of 7,920 bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters nationwide. Chapter 7 liquidation cases dominated the filing landscape with 4,645 cases, representing 58.6% of all filings for the week. Chapter 13 reorganization cases accounted for 3,150 filings, making up 39.8% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganization cases numbered 122 filings, while Chapter 12 agricultural reorganization cases were minimal with only 3 filings. This distribution reflects the typical pattern where individual consumer bankruptcies (Chapters 7 and 13) comprise the vast majority of weekly filings.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 36 of 2025 represents a remarkable 7.8% increase over the same week in 2024, when filings totaled 7,349 cases. This growth rate significantly exceeds the 12.7% increase seen between 2023 and 2024 for the same week, suggesting an accelerating trend in bankruptcy filings. The current week's total of 7,920 filings also marks the highest Week 36 total in the four-year period covered by this dataset. Interestingly, the week's total falls below the 2025 year-to-date weekly average of 10,728 filings, indicating that Week 36 was actually a relatively moderate filing week compared to earlier periods in 2025. The consistent year-over-year growth pattern (6.8% in 2023, 12.7% in 2024, and 7.8% in 2025) demonstrates a sustained upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California (CAC) led all districts with 427 total filings, driven primarily by 341 Chapter 7 cases and 81 Chapter 13 cases. The Northern District of Georgia (GAN) recorded 358 total filings, with a more balanced distribution of 174 Chapter 7 and 175 Chapter 13 cases. The Middle District of Florida (FLM) posted 337 total filings, heavily weighted toward Chapter 7 liquidations with 254 cases. The Northern District of Illinois (ILN) contributed 247 total filings, consisting of 124 Chapter 7 and 121 Chapter 13 cases. The Eastern District of Michigan (MIE) rounded out the top five with 237 total filings, including 153 Chapter 7 and 84 Chapter 13 cases.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The filing distribution reveals significant geographic concentration, with the top five districts accounting for 1,606 filings or 20.3% of the national total. California's Central District alone represents 5.4% of all national filings for the week, highlighting the outsized impact of large metropolitan areas. The disparity is stark when comparing high-volume districts like CAC (427 filings) to low-volume districts such as Wyoming (WY) with only 9 total filings, representing a 47-fold difference. Southern and Western states dominate the high-filing districts, with Florida, Georgia, California, Illinois, and Michigan districts featuring prominently in the top rankings. Rural and less populated districts like North Dakota (ND), Vermont (VT), and several territorial districts consistently report single-digit or zero filings, illustrating the urban-rural divide in bankruptcy filing patterns.
5. Current year focus. Through Week 36 of 2025, total bankruptcy filings have reached 386,221 cases, averaging 10,728 filings per week across the 36-week period. This year-to-date average significantly exceeds Week 36's total of 7,920, suggesting that earlier weeks in 2025 experienced higher filing volumes. The current trajectory indicates 2025 will likely surpass previous years' annual totals if the current pace continues through the remainder of the year. Chapter 7 cases continue to dominate 2025 filings, maintaining their historical position as the most common bankruptcy filing type. The data suggests 2025 is experiencing sustained elevated bankruptcy filing levels compared to the 2022-2024 period, with implications for court resources and economic conditions.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. Week 36 filings have shown consistent growth over the four-year period, rising from 6,106 in 2022 to 7,920 in 2025. The year-over-year increases demonstrate an accelerating trend: 6.8% growth from 2022 to 2023, 12.7% growth from 2023 to 2024, and 7.8% growth from 2024 to 2025. The cumulative growth from 2022 to 2025 represents a 29.7% increase in Week 36 filings over the three-year period. This pattern suggests underlying economic pressures that have persistently driven higher bankruptcy filing rates across multiple years. The data indicates that 2025's filing levels represent a new elevated baseline compared to the pre-2023 period.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. While specific population data isn't available in this dataset, the geographic distribution of filings reveals clear per capita patterns when considering district populations. High-population districts like California Central (CAC) and Northern Illinois (ILN) show high absolute numbers but likely moderate per capita rates given their large populations. Conversely, smaller districts with significant filing numbers may indicate higher per capita bankruptcy rates in those regions. The Northern District of Georgia's 358 filings likely represents a higher per capita rate given Georgia's population distribution compared to California's Central District. Rural districts with minimal filings (under 20 cases) probably reflect both lower populations and potentially different economic conditions that result in lower per capita filing rates.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The consistent growth in Week 36 filings across all years suggests increasing per capita bankruptcy filing rates nationally, assuming relatively stable population growth. Districts showing the highest growth rates likely indicate regions experiencing greater economic stress or changing demographic patterns that correlate with increased bankruptcy filings. The sustained upward trend in total filings outpacing typical population growth rates suggests that per capita filing rates are genuinely increasing rather than merely reflecting population expansion. Economic factors such as inflation, housing costs, and employment conditions likely contribute to this per capita increase across most geographic regions. The data suggests that bankruptcy filings are becoming more common per capita across the American population, representing a significant shift in financial distress patterns.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the 2025 year-to-date average of 10,728 weekly filings and assuming the remaining 16 weeks of the year maintain similar patterns, total 2025 filings could reach approximately 557,869 cases. However, considering that Week 36's 7,920 filings fall below the year-to-date average, the remaining weeks may trend toward this lower level, potentially resulting in a total closer to 513,000-530,000 filings for 2025. Historical patterns suggest that filing volumes may fluctuate seasonally, with potential increases during economically stressful periods or decreases during holiday seasons. The current trajectory indicates 2025 will substantially exceed previous years' totals, potentially representing a 15-20% increase over 2024 levels. Economic conditions, policy changes, and seasonal factors will likely influence whether the remainder of 2025 maintains the current elevated filing pace.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. The established growth pattern suggests continued upward pressure on bankruptcy filing rates beyond 2024, with potential annual increases of 5-15% based on current trends. Economic factors including persistent inflation, housing market pressures, and employment volatility may sustain elevated filing levels throughout 2025 and into 2026. The data indicates a structural shift toward higher baseline filing rates, suggesting that post-2024 years may consistently exceed historical norms rather than returning to pre-2023 levels. Geographic disparities may continue to widen, with high-filing districts potentially seeing accelerated growth while rural districts maintain relatively stable low volumes. Long-term projections suggest that annual bankruptcy filings could reach 600,000-650,000 cases by 2026-2027 if current growth trajectories persist, representing a significant increase from historical levels and indicating ongoing economic stress factors affecting American households and businesses.

ChatGPT 5 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. In week 36 of 2025, there were 7,920 total filings nationwide. Of these, 4,645 were under Chapter 7, 3,150 under Chapter 13, 122 under Chapter 11, and 3 under Chapter 12. The mix means Chapter 7 accounted for 58.6%, Chapter 13 for 39.8%, Chapter 11 for 1.5%, and Chapter 12 for 0.04% of this week’s total. This latest fully completed week is marked in the file as the most recent completed period. All figures in this paragraph come from that latest week’s row with isLatestWeek marked true.
2. A notable fact this week is the sharp week-over-week movement from 14,989 filings in week 35 to 7,920 in week 36. That is a -47.2% change in total filings across consecutive weeks. Within the latest week’s 7,920, Chapter 7 contributes 4,645 and Chapter 13 contributes 3,150. The smallest categories remain Chapter 12 with 3 filings and Chapter 11 with 122 filings. This contrast highlights how the latest week’s level compares directly to the immediately prior week’s number in the same dataset.
3. District activity this week shows CAC at 427 filings, GAN at 358, FLM at 337, ILN at 247, and MIE at 237. Together these five districts sum to 1,606 filings out of the 7,920 national total. As shares of the national total, CAC is 5.39%, GAN is 4.52%, FLM is 4.26%, ILN is 3.12%, and MIE is 2.99%. These specific district counts are derived by summing all chapter entries for each district in the latest week. The national reference point for these shares is the same 7,920 total.
4. Geographic disparities are evident, with the lowest-activity areas including NMI = 0, VI = 0, GU = 1, AK = 2, and ND = 4 filings this week. The spread between the top district CAC = 427 and the bottom NMI = 0 is 427 filings. Comparing mid-tier activity, ILN = 247 sits far closer to the top than to the bottom compared to ND = 4. The five lowest districts together contribute 7 filings out of 7,920 nationally. This distribution underscores how a handful of districts such as CAC and GAN each exceed 300 filings while several others remain at 0–4.
5. Looking across 2025 up through week 36, the year-to-date sum is 386,221 filings across 36 weeks. That implies a 2025 weekly average of about 10,728 filings per week through week 36. The latest four-week average ending at this week is about 11,034, bounded by a recent low of 7,920 and a recent high of 14,989. In the latest week, the Chapter 7 total is 4,645 and the Chapter 13 total is 3,150, continuing to dominate the mix. The current week’s 7,920 therefore sits below both the year-to-date average (10,728) and the recent four-week average (11,034).
6. Against prior years at the same point in the calendar, 2024 had 347,902 filings through week 36 for an average of about 9,664 per week. In 2023 through week 36, the sum was 303,155 with an average of about 8,421 per week. Comparing averages, 2024 over 2023 reflects about +13.2% and 2025 over 2024 reflects about +10.7% based on weekly means. This week’s 7,920 is also above the same week of 2024, which reported 7,349 filings. The chapter mix this week remains 4,645 in Chapter 7 and 3,150 in Chapter 13 versus last year’s week-36 national total of 7,349.
7. The file does not contain population figures, so a practical proxy for “per person” is each district’s share of the national total of 7,920. Using that proxy, CAC’s 427 filings equal 5.39% of national this week. GAN’s 358 filings are 4.52%, while FLM’s 337 filings are 4.26% of national. ILN’s 247 filings are 3.12% and MIE’s 237 filings are 2.99% of national. Nationally, the Chapter 7 total of 4,645 and Chapter 13 total of 3,150 set the context for interpreting these shares.
8. To examine how these “per person” proxies shift over time, compare week 36 this year to week 36 last year. CAC moved from 365 filings (4.97% of 7,349) to 427 filings (5.39% of 7,920). GAN shifted from 330 (4.49%) to 358 (4.52%), and FLM from 309 (4.20%) to 337 (4.26%). ILN decreased from 287 (3.91%) to 247 (3.12%), while MIE rose from 202 (2.75%) to 237 (2.99%). Nationally, the total changed from 7,349 to 7,920, while the latest four-week average sits at about 11,034 for additional context.
9. For the remainder of 2025, there are 16 weeks left after week 36, assuming a 52-week year. Using the recent four-week average of about 11,034 filings as the run-rate, the remaining weeks project to roughly 176,540 filings. Added to the year-to-date sum of 386,221, the projected annual total becomes about 562,761 filings. The current week’s 7,920 is below that 11,034 run-rate, so the forecast implies a rebound toward that average. Chapter proportions this week—4,645 in Chapter 7 and 3,150 in Chapter 13—provide a baseline for how the mix might contribute to that projection.
10. Looking beyond 2024 using weekly averages, 2023 averaged about 8,421, 2024 averaged about 9,664, and 2025 to date averages about 10,728. That sequence corresponds to growth of roughly +13.2% from 2023 to 2024 and about +10.7% from 2024 to 2025 so far. If a ~11,034 recent weekly pace holds, the annual total projection of about 562,761 is consistent with the current trajectory. The latest week’s 7,920 is an outlier versus the 14,989 prior week and the 11,034 recent average, so some reversion toward the mean is reasonable. As the mix this week is 4,645 Chapter 7 and 3,150 Chapter 13, an ongoing majority-household pattern would likely underpin any continued increases.

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.