Why the State Matters
The bankruptcy code is federal, but three inputs to the Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 decision vary by state:
- Means test median. Different median income for each state determines who passes Chapter 7 Part 1.
- Homestead exemption. Ranges from $5,000 (Kentucky, Tennessee) to unlimited (Florida, Texas, Kansas, others).
- Federal vs state exemption availability. Twenty states plus DC let filers choose federal exemptions; the rest are state-only.
Local filing mix and discharge/dismissal rates also differ sharply across districts - patterns that national-average statistics hide.
All 50 States and DC
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming