*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 November 17th, 2025)

Last week saw another year-over-year increase, with consumer bankruptcies up about 8% and business bankruptcies climbing more than 20% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 11.20% year-over-year (5,742 in 2024 to 6,385 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 3.53% year-over-year (3,600 in 2024 to 3,727 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 23.11% year-over-year (264 in 2024 to 325 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.

• New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report: Household debt reaches $18.39 trillion in the second quarter.
• Car Repossessions Approaching Record High: A near-record number of cars are being repossessed as Americans continue to fall behind on their auto loans amid mounting financial strain.
• FICO Shakes Up Credit-Score Market: Fair Isaac is upending the credit-scoring industry by giving mortgage lenders a way to offer its credit scores without buying them from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.
• Borrowers Priorizing Student Loans: As Wage Garnishment Looms, Federal Student Loan Borrowers Indicate They Could Prioritize Their Student Loans Ahead of Credit Cards and Personal Loans
• 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 4.1 Opus Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. The national bankruptcy filing total for Week 46 of 2025 reached 10,442 cases, representing a significant milestone in the continuing upward trend of financial distress across the United States. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated the weekly total with 6,385 cases, accounting for 61.1% of all bankruptcy petitions filed during this period. Chapter 13 reorganization plans comprised 3,727 filings or 35.7% of the weekly total, while Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 325 cases. The remaining filings included just 5 Chapter 12 family farmer cases, highlighting the urban and suburban concentration of bankruptcy activity. This week's total of 10,442 filings represents a solid contribution to the year-to-date total of 501,489 cases through the first 46 weeks of 2025.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 46 of 2025 showed a notable recovery from the previous week's dip, with filings increasing by 344 cases or 3.4% compared to Week 45's total of 10,098. The week's filing pattern demonstrates remarkable consistency when compared to the four-week average of 11,777 cases, falling just slightly below this benchmark. Interestingly, Chapter 11 business bankruptcies at 325 cases maintained their elevated levels, suggesting continued stress in the commercial sector despite overall economic indicators. The distribution across bankruptcy chapters remained remarkably stable, with Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 maintaining their traditional proportions of roughly 61% and 36% respectively. This consistency in chapter distribution suggests that the underlying causes of financial distress are affecting both consumers and businesses in predictable patterns.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Middle District of Florida led all federal districts with 482 total bankruptcy filings in Week 46, closely followed by the Central District of California with 479 cases. The Northern District of Illinois recorded 408 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia saw 371 cases, establishing these four districts as the primary centers of bankruptcy activity. The Eastern District of Michigan rounded out the top five with 346 filings, followed by the Northern District of Ohio with 284 cases. The Southern District of Florida contributed 265 filings, Arizona reported 251 cases, and the Eastern District of Virginia added 235 filings to the national total. These top nine districts alone accounted for approximately 3,321 filings, representing nearly 32% of the national total, highlighting the concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan areas.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. Regional analysis reveals significant geographic disparities in bankruptcy filing patterns, with the Midwest region leading at 2,169 filings or 20.8% of the national total for Week 46. The West region closely followed with 2,062 filings representing 19.7% of all cases, while the Southeast contributed 2,027 filings or 19.4% of the weekly total. The Northeast region showed the lowest activity with only 1,118 filings, accounting for just 10.7% of national bankruptcy petitions. These regional variations reflect different economic conditions, with higher filing rates in states experiencing manufacturing transitions, housing market stress, and varying unemployment levels. The remaining 29.4% of filings were distributed across other districts, demonstrating that while bankruptcy is concentrated in certain regions, financial distress remains a nationwide phenomenon affecting all areas of the country.
5. Current year focus. The year 2025 has emerged as a record-breaking period for bankruptcy filings, with the year-to-date total of 501,489 cases through Week 46 representing an 11.3% increase over the same period in 2024, which saw 450,550 filings. The weekly average for 2025 stands at 10,901 filings, substantially higher than 2024's full-year average of 9,687 cases per week. This sustained elevation in filing rates throughout 2025 indicates persistent financial challenges facing both consumers and businesses despite various economic recovery measures. The consistency of weekly filings, with most weeks ranging between 10,000 and 11,500 cases, suggests that the elevated filing rate has become the new baseline rather than a temporary spike. With six weeks remaining in 2025, the year is projected to end with approximately 572,151 total filings, which would represent a 13.6% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,738 cases.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. The bankruptcy filing trajectory from 2022 through 2025 reveals a concerning acceleration in financial distress, with annual totals rising from 378,317 in 2022 to 445,166 in 2023, then to 503,738 in 2024, and now projected to reach 572,151 in 2025. The year-over-year growth rates show a pattern of double-digit increases: 17.7% from 2022 to 2023, 13.2% from 2023 to 2024, and a projected 13.6% from 2024 to 2025. The average annual growth rate of 14.8% over this three-year period indicates sustained pressure on household and business finances. Week 46 of 2025 specifically showed an 8.7% increase compared to the same week in 2024, when 9,609 filings were recorded. This consistent pattern of growth across multiple years suggests systemic economic challenges rather than temporary disruptions, with the filing rate showing no signs of returning to pre-2022 levels.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. The per capita bankruptcy filing rate has reached 147.9 filings per 100,000 people through Week 46 of 2025, based on an estimated U.S. population of 339 million. This represents a substantial increase from the 133.7 per 100,000 rate in 2024 and the 118.1 per 100,000 rate observed in 2023 for the same period. The weekly per capita filing rate now stands at 3.22 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.91 in 2024 and 2.57 in 2023, demonstrating a 25% increase over two years. These per capita metrics provide crucial context by accounting for population growth, revealing that the increase in bankruptcy filings is outpacing demographic expansion. The rising per capita rate indicates that a growing proportion of Americans are experiencing severe financial distress requiring bankruptcy protection.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The evolution of per capita bankruptcy rates from 2023 through 2025 reveals an alarming acceleration in the percentage of the population seeking bankruptcy protection, with rates increasing by approximately 10-11% annually. The jump from 118.1 per 100,000 in 2023 to 147.9 per 100,000 in 2025 represents a 25.2% total increase over just two years, suggesting that economic pressures are intensifying faster than traditional economic indicators might suggest. This per capita growth rate of roughly 0.65 additional filings per 100,000 people per week indicates that bankruptcy is becoming increasingly common across all demographic segments. The steady climb in per capita rates, without any quarters showing reversal, suggests that underlying economic stressors such as inflation, housing costs, and healthcare expenses continue to overwhelm household budgets. If current trends continue, the per capita rate could exceed 160 per 100,000 by the end of 2026, approaching levels not seen since the aftermath of major economic crises.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the recent four-week average of 11,777 filings per week, the remaining six weeks of 2025 are projected to add approximately 70,662 additional bankruptcy cases to the national total. This projection would bring the full-year 2025 total to approximately 572,151 filings, representing a 13.6% increase over 2024's total of 503,738 cases. The forecast assumes that holiday season factors and year-end dynamics will maintain filing rates near current levels rather than showing the typical December slowdown. Weekly filings are expected to fluctuate between 10,500 and 12,500 cases, with potential spikes around financial pressure points such as holiday shopping bills and year-end business closures. The projected year-end total of 572,151 would establish 2025 as having the highest bankruptcy filing count in recent years, setting a concerning precedent for 2026.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Looking beyond 2025, bankruptcy filing trends suggest continued growth with projections indicating 629,366 total filings in 2026 assuming a conservative 10% growth rate, though an alternative scenario with declining growth rates projects 617,923 filings with an 8% increase. For 2027, projections range from 657,470 filings under a declining growth scenario to 692,302 under steady growth assumptions, potentially approaching 700,000 annual filings for the first time in over a decade. The sustained multi-year growth pattern averaging 14.8% annually from 2023-2025 indicates deep structural economic challenges that are unlikely to resolve quickly, suggesting that elevated filing rates will persist. Factors including persistent inflation, rising interest rates, depleted pandemic savings, and increasing consumer debt loads are expected to continue driving bankruptcy filings upward through at least 2027. Without significant economic intervention or improvement in household financial stability, the upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings appears set to continue, with weekly filing averages potentially exceeding 12,000-13,000 by 2027.

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

1. Overview of this Week's National Filings
   In the most recent fully completed week, Week 46 of 2025, the total number of bankruptcy filings across the United States reached 10,442. This figure encompasses all chapters and districts and reflects the national bankruptcy landscape. Of these, Chapter 7 filings accounted for 6,385, indicating that liquidation remains the most frequently chosen form. Chapter 13 followed with 3,727 filings, while Chapter 11 had 325 and Chapter 12 recorded only 5. This distribution shows continued reliance on consumer bankruptcy types, particularly Chapter 7 and 13, which together make up over 95% of total filings.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
   One interesting observation is that the number of filings this week (10,442) is notably lower than the previous peak within the past five weeks. For example, in Week 44 of 2025, filings reached a high of 15,017, while Week 45 had 10,098. The sharp drop from that peak suggests fluctuations possibly driven by seasonal, policy, or economic shifts. Notably, Chapter 12 filings, which are typically rare and focus on family farmers or fishermen, held steady at 5 filings this week. This stability amid general variability implies unique filing behavior for certain bankruptcy types.
3. District-Level Filings Overview
   District-level analysis shows wide variance in filing activity across regions. The highest number of filings was in the Middle District of Florida (FLM) with 482 filings, closely followed by the Central District of California (CAC) with 479. Illinois Northern (ILN) reported 408 filings, Georgia Northern (GAN) reported 371, and Michigan Eastern (MIE) had 346. These districts stand out for their consistently high weekly filing volumes, reflecting regional economic or demographic factors. On the other hand, some districts barely registered any filings.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings
   There is a significant disparity in bankruptcy activity across districts. While districts like FLM and CAC had close to 500 filings, others such as Guam (GU) and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) had zero. The Virgin Islands (VI) recorded just one, and Alaska (AK) had only three filings. Vermont (VT), despite being a mainland state, saw only five filings. These disparities underline geographic economic differences and the localized impact of financial distress.
5. Current Year Focus
   In the 2025 dataset through Week 46, filings show a generally stable but fluctuating trend. This week’s total of 10,442 filings is close to that of Week 45 (10,098) and Week 43 (10,435), but significantly lower than the spike seen in Week 44 (15,017). Chapter 7 filings this week accounted for approximately 61% of the total, while Chapter 13 made up 36%, consistent with the year’s distribution. The repeated shifts from week to week suggest responsiveness to external pressures like legal deadlines or economic changes. The current data shows that despite some peaks, the overall trend does not point to a sustained decline.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
   When comparing 2025’s Week 46 to the same week in earlier years (not shown here but typically accessible in the dataset), the filings appear moderately elevated. For instance, if the average Week 46 filing in earlier years hovered around 9,000–10,000, this year’s figure of 10,442 indicates a slight uptick. This could point to growing financial pressures post-pandemic or in response to inflation and interest rate adjustments. The presence of 325 Chapter 11 filings, which typically involve businesses, might also reflect increased commercial strain. The trend suggests economic stress but not yet a crisis level compared to historic highs.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
   Using district-level population data (not included in this CSV), we can approximate that districts like FLM and CAC show high per capita bankruptcy activity. With nearly 480+ filings each in a single week, even in densely populated districts, this is a significant per capita volume. In contrast, regions like Vermont or Alaska show minimal filings despite having small populations, keeping their per capita rates relatively low as well. However, zero filings in districts like NMI and GU indicate negligible per capita bankruptcy activity. This sharp contrast reinforces the uneven distribution of economic distress across U.S. regions.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
   Over the last few weeks, national filing totals have fluctuated between 10,098 and 15,017, indicating short-term volatility in per capita rates. Week 44’s unusually high 15,017 filings, if adjusted for population, would reflect a temporary surge in economic hardship. This week's slightly reduced figure of 10,442 still keeps per capita filings higher than many historical norms. Chapter 7 continues to dominate, meaning more households opt for debt liquidation over restructuring. If this trend continues, the annual per capita bankruptcy rate might edge upward in 2025 compared to 2024.
9. Forecasting the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year
   Given the weekly average over the last five weeks (approximately 11,539 filings), we can project the remaining six weeks of the year (Weeks 47–52) to generate roughly 69,000 additional filings. If trends continue, the total annual bankruptcy filings in 2025 may exceed 590,000. Chapter 7 is expected to continue making up the majority of those, potentially totaling more than 375,000 filings. Chapter 13 may contribute close to 200,000 based on current proportions. Short-term forecasting assumes no major economic disruption or legal reform that might shift these patterns.
10. Forecasting Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024
    Assuming that the post-2024 environment continues to see inflationary pressures, high consumer debt, and potential job losses, filings are likely to rise. The data from 2025 already suggests a mild increase from prior years, which could become more pronounced in 2026 and beyond. If Chapter 7 filings remain dominant at over 60%, we may see household liquidation rates increase unless credit conditions ease. Regional trends like high activity in FLM and CAC may spread to adjacent districts as economic pressures diffuse. Overall, unless mitigated by policy or recovery, bankruptcy filings are poised for continued gradual growth.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. Week 46 of 2025 recorded 10,442 total bankruptcy filings nationwide, representing a significant continuation of the upward trend observed throughout the year. Chapter 7 filings dominated with 6,385 cases, accounting for 61.1% of all filings, while Chapter 13 filings contributed 3,727 cases or 35.7% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations numbered 325 cases, representing 3.1% of filings, with Chapter 12 agricultural cases recording just 5 filings. This week's total represents an 8.7% increase compared to the same week in 2024, when filings totaled 9,609.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 46, 2025 marks the highest filing volume ever recorded for this particular week in the available data history, surpassing 2024's previous record by 833 cases. The week showed remarkable consistency with the year's quarterly pattern, falling just below the fourth quarter average of 11,666 filings per week. Interestingly, recent weeks have demonstrated significant volatility, with Week 44 spiking to 15,017 filings before Week 45 dropped to 10,098, making Week 46's rebound to 10,442 part of an oscillating pattern. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings (1.7 to 1) remained stable compared to historical patterns, suggesting consistent consumer financial distress patterns. This week's filing rate translates to approximately 3.07 bankruptcy cases per 100,000 Americans, the highest per-capita rate for Week 46 across all years in the dataset.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Middle District of Florida led the nation with 482 filings in Week 46, followed closely by the Central District of California with 479 cases and the Northern District of Illinois with 408 filings. The Northern District of Georgia recorded 371 cases, while the Eastern District of Michigan processed 346 filings, rounding out the top five districts. The Northern District of Ohio contributed 284 cases, the Southern District of Florida had 265 filings, and Arizona recorded 251 cases. The Eastern District of Virginia (235 cases), Eastern District of California (234 cases), New Jersey (234 cases), Maryland (227 cases), Eastern District of Louisiana (223 cases), Southern District of Ohio (219 cases), and Northern District of Alabama (209 cases) completed the top 15 districts. These fifteen districts collectively accounted for approximately 40% of all national filings for the week.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic distribution of bankruptcy filings reveals stark disparities, with the highest-volume district (Middle District of Florida at 482 filings) recording 60 times more cases than one of the lowest-volume districts (Montana at 8 filings). Florida's dominance is particularly noteworthy, with both the Middle and Southern districts ranking in the top seven nationally, collectively contributing 747 cases or 7.2% of all national filings. California also demonstrated significant concentration with three districts in the top ten, while major metropolitan regions in Illinois, Georgia, and Michigan showed elevated filing rates. The disparity between high-volume districts reflects population density differences, but also suggests varying regional economic conditions and debt burdens. Districts in the Southeast and Midwest showed particularly high filing rates relative to their populations, while some Western and Mountain states recorded substantially lower volumes.
5. Current year focus. Through Week 46 of 2025, the nation has recorded 501,489 total bankruptcy filings, maintaining an average of 10,901 cases per week. This represents a robust 11.3% increase compared to the same 46-week period in 2024, when 450,550 cases were filed. The year has shown progressive quarterly growth, with the first quarter averaging 10,158 filings per week, followed by 11,092 in the second quarter, 11,043 in the third quarter, and 11,666 in the fourth quarter to date. Chapter 7 liquidations have consistently comprised approximately 61% of all filings throughout the year, while Chapter 13 reorganizations have held steady at around 36% of cases. The sustained elevation in filing volumes throughout 2025 suggests deepening financial stress among American households and businesses.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. The multi-year trajectory shows consistent annual increases, with 2022 recording 378,317 total filings, 2023 reaching 445,166 cases (a 17.7% increase), and 2024 hitting 503,738 filings (a 13.2% increase). Week 46 specifically illustrates this upward trend, with 7,749 filings in 2022, 9,012 in 2023, 9,609 in 2024, and 10,442 in 2025. The year-over-year growth rate has been decelerating slightly, from 17.2% growth between 2022-2023, to 13.9% between 2023-2024, and 11.3% between 2024-2025 (through Week 46). Despite this deceleration in growth rate, the absolute increases remain substantial, with each year adding approximately 50,000-67,000 more cases than the previous year. This sustained multi-year increase represents a fundamental shift in the bankruptcy filing landscape compared to the 2022 baseline.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. The per-capita filing rate has increased dramatically from 111.3 cases per 100,000 Americans in 2022 to a projected 166.7 per 100,000 in 2025, representing a 49.8% increase over three years. In 2023, the rate rose to 130.9 per 100,000, an increase of 19.7 per 100,000 people, while 2024 saw the rate climb to 148.2 per 100,000, adding another 17.2 per 100,000. The 2025 projection of 166.7 per 100,000 would represent an additional 18.6 per 100,000 increase compared to 2024. Week 46 specifically shows per-capita rates climbing from 2.28 per 100,000 in 2022 to 3.07 per 100,000 in 2025, a 34.6% increase. These per-capita metrics indicate that population growth cannot explain the rising filing volumes; rather, a larger proportion of Americans are experiencing financial distress requiring bankruptcy protection.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The acceleration in per-capita filing rates reveals deepening financial vulnerability across the American population, with the rate of increase remaining relatively stable despite the absolute numbers growing larger. Between 2022 and 2023, the per-capita rate increased by 17.7%, followed by a 13.2% increase between 2023 and 2024, and a projected 12.5% increase between 2024 and 2025. While the percentage growth has moderated slightly, the absolute increase in filings per 100,000 people has remained consistently between 17 and 20 cases annually. This suggests that economic pressures affecting bankruptcy filings have not abated, but rather have become normalized at elevated levels. The consistency of per-capita increases across multiple years indicates structural economic challenges rather than temporary shocks affecting American households.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the 46-week average of 10,901 filings per week in 2025, the remaining six weeks (Weeks 47-52) are projected to add approximately 65,411 additional cases, bringing the full-year 2025 total to approximately 566,900 filings. This projection assumes continuation of current trends without accounting for potential seasonal variations, though historical data suggests Week 46 is representative of late-year patterns. The projected 566,900 total would represent a 12.5% increase over 2024's final count of 503,738 cases and would mark the highest annual bankruptcy filing total in the dataset's history. If fourth-quarter volatility continues, the actual year-end total could range between 560,000 and 575,000 filings. This forecast represents an addition of approximately 188,583 cases compared to 2022, highlighting the dramatic three-year increase in financial distress.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Based on the average annual growth rate of 14.5% calculated from 2022-2025 trends (17.7%, 13.2%, and projected 12.5%), bankruptcy filings are projected to reach approximately 648,848 cases in 2026 and 742,642 cases in 2027. However, this aggressive growth trajectory may not be sustainable indefinitely, as economic conditions could stabilize or policy interventions might provide relief to distressed households and businesses. If the deceleration pattern continues, with growth rates declining by approximately 1-2 percentage points annually, 2026 might see closer to 620,000-640,000 filings, with 2027 potentially reaching 680,000-710,000 cases. The underlying factors driving these increases—including inflation pressures, interest rate impacts, and accumulated pandemic-era debt—suggest that elevated filing levels will persist through at least 2026 unless significant economic improvements materialize. By 2027, the cumulative effect could result in bankruptcy filings nearly doubling the 2022 baseline, fundamentally reshaping the consumer and business credit landscape.

ChatGPT 5 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. For week 46 of 2025, the total number of filings nationwide is 10,442, making this the latest fully completed week in the data. In this same week, there are 6,385 filings under Chapter 7 across all districts. Chapter 11 accounts for 325 filings, while Chapter 12 has 5 filings. Chapter 13 contributes 3,727 filings, so Chapters 7 and 13 together make up 10,112 cases out of the 10,442 weekly total. Compared with the 2025 average weekly total of about 10,902 filings across weeks 1 through 46, week 46 sits slightly below the year-to-date weekly average.
2. An interesting feature of week 46 is that national filings of 10,442 come just two weeks after the 2025 peak of 15,017 filings in week 44. From week 44 to week 45, weekly filings fell from 15,017 to 10,098, a drop of 4,919 cases. They then edged up from 10,098 in week 45 to 10,442 in week 46, a modest increase of 344 filings. Within week 46, Chapters 7 and 13 together account for 6,385 and 3,727 filings respectively, while Chapters 11 and 12 together add only 330 cases. This combination of a sharp two-week decline of 4,575 cases from the week-44 peak to week 46 and a heavy concentration of 10,112 filings in just Chapters 7 and 13 makes the latest week stand out as both a cooling and still structurally familiar pattern.
3. Looking across the 94 districts in week 46 of 2025, filings are highly concentrated in a handful of locations. The busiest district that week is the Middle District of Florida with 482 total filings across all chapters. Close behind, one California district records 479 filings, while a northern Illinois district logs 408 filings. Other large contributors include a northern Georgia district with 371 filings and an eastern Michigan district with 346 filings in week 46. Together, these five districts alone account for 2,086 filings in week 46, which is exactly 19.98 percent of the national total of 10,442 for that week.
4. At the other end of the spectrum in week 46 of 2025, several small districts show almost no activity, with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands each recording 0 filings and the Virgin Islands recording just 1 filing across all chapters. States such as Alaska and Vermont also remain very quiet, with only 3 and 5 total filings respectively in week 46. By contrast, the Middle District of Florida’s 482 filings in the same week exceed the combined 33 filings of low-volume states such as Alaska, Vermont, Montana with 8 filings, West Virginia North with 8 filings, and Wyoming with 9 filings. Even a mid-range state like Maine, with 12 filings in week 46, contributes far less than high-volume districts like the California district with 479 filings or the northern Illinois district with 408 filings. These differences, ranging from 0 filings in Guam to 482 filings in a single Florida district during week 46, highlight the striking geographic imbalance embedded in the 10,442 national filings that week.
5. Focusing on 2025 alone, the first 46 weeks of the year sum to 501,489 filings nationwide. Over these 46 weeks, the average weekly volume is about 10,902 filings, with a minimum of 7,530 filings in week 1 and a maximum of 15,017 filings in week 44. The median weekly total for 2025 through week 46 is 10,604.5 filings, while three-quarters of the weeks fall at or below 11,722 filings. In this context, the week-46 total of 10,442 filings sits between the median of 10,604.5 and the 25th percentile of 10,115 filings, indicating a slightly below-typical week during 2025. Chapter-level activity in week 46, with 6,385 filings in Chapter 7 and 3,727 in Chapter 13, mirrors the broader 2025 pattern in which those two chapters dominate the yearly total of 501,489 filings to date.
6. When we compare week 46 of 2025 to the same week in earlier years, the national total of 10,442 filings stands above 7,749 in 2022, 9,012 in 2023, and 9,609 in 2024. For week 46, Chapter 7 filings climb from 4,412 in 2022 to 5,298 in 2023, 5,742 in 2024, and 6,385 in 2025, showing a steady multi-year rise of 1,973 filings over this four-year span. Chapter 13 filings in week 46 also remain high, moving from 3,283 in 2022 to 3,628 in 2023, dipping slightly to 3,600 in 2024, and then reaching 3,727 in 2025. Looking at the first 46 weeks of each year, the average weekly national total rises from about 7,338 filings in 2022 to 8,600 in 2023, 9,795 in 2024, and 10,902 in 2025. This means that by 2025 the mean weekly total across weeks 1 through 46 has grown by 3,564 filings, or roughly 48.6 percent, compared with the 7,338 weekly average observed in 2022.
7. Although this dataset does not include population figures, the strong increase in national filings suggests that filings per person are also likely rising over time. Between 2022 and 2025, the average weekly national total for weeks 1 through 46 rises from 7,338 to 10,902 filings, an increase of about 3,564 cases per week. If the population has grown much more slowly than this 48.6 percent increase in average weekly filings, the number of filings per resident would be following a similar upward trajectory. Within week 46 of 2025 itself, 10,442 filings are distributed across 94 districts, so on average there are about 111 filings per district that week even before adjusting for population differences. Comparing this to lower-volume weeks such as week 1 of 2025, which has 7,530 filings nationwide, shows that typical per-district filings can fluctuate by thousands of cases nationally and by roughly 30 or more filings per district, depending on the week and underlying demographic pressures.
8. The changing pattern of filings over time implies that filings per person are not rising at a constant rate but instead show a slowing percentage growth each year. Average weekly filings across the first 46 weeks jump by about 17.2 percent from 7,338 in 2022 to 8,600 in 2023, then by about 13.9 percent to 9,795 in 2024, and finally by about 11.3 percent to 10,902 in 2025. At the district level, the Middle District of Florida in week 46 grows from 258 total filings in 2022 to 363 in 2023, 403 in 2024, and 482 in 2025, an 86.8 percent increase over four years in the same calendar week. If the population of that district has not expanded at the same pace as the rise from 258 to 482 filings, then filings per person there have likely grown even faster than the national averages. Meanwhile, very low-volume districts such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, holding at 0 filings in week 46 of 2025, show almost no change in filings per person, emphasizing that the increase in per-capita filings is concentrated in specific high-growth areas like Florida, California with 479 filings, and northern Illinois with 408 filings in that same week.
9. To forecast the rest of 2025, we can extend the 2025 weekly trend, which rises on average by about 40 additional filings per week across weeks 1 through 46, into the remaining six weeks of the year. Using a simple linear trend, weeks 47 through 52 are projected to average roughly between 11,843 and 12,043 filings per week, yielding individual weekly forecasts from about 11,843 to 12,043 cases. Summing these six projected weeks gives an estimated 71,656 additional filings, on top of the 501,489 filings already observed in weeks 1 through 46 of 2025. This yields a full-year 2025 projection of approximately 573,145 filings nationwide, implying an average of about 11,022 filings per week over 52 weeks. Compared with the 2024 average weekly total of roughly 9,795 filings across weeks 1 through 46, this projected 2025 weekly average of 11,022 suggests that filings for the rest of the year will remain elevated above both the current week-46 level of 10,442 and recent historical norms.
10. Extending the pattern of average weekly filings beyond 2024 using a straight-line trend across 2022 to 2025 suggests continued increases in filings after 2024. Fitting a simple trend to the average weekly totals of 7,338 in 2022, 8,600 in 2023, 9,795 in 2024, and 10,902 in 2025 produces an estimated average of about 12,130 weekly filings for 2026. Continuing that same trajectory one more year yields an estimated average of roughly 13,319 weekly filings in 2027, which would be about 1,189 filings per week higher than the projected 2026 average. Relative to the 7,338 weekly average in 2022, a future weekly average of 13,319 filings would represent an increase of about 5,981 filings per week, or roughly 81 percent more cases if this pattern holds. Because these projections are built directly on the observed weekly averages from 2022 through the 2025 week-46 data, including the latest weekly total of 10,442 filings and the year-to-date 2025 total of 501,489 filings, they point to a scenario in which filings continue to climb steadily beyond 2024 rather than returning quickly to earlier, lower weekly levels.

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.