State Rankings

Clean, sourced, ranked comparisons across every state we've published full law for — built from the same data behind our individual state pages, with full methodology disclosed on each one.

2026 Data Outlooks

Built from live federal data — CFPB and U.S. Courts figures, updated as new releases land.

• 2026 Bankruptcy Filing Surge: Which States Are Rising Fastest

  +11.9%

  filings nationally, YoY

  North Dakota and Alaska rising fastest, every state we cover up year-over-year except Maine.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• The 25 Busiest Counties for Bankruptcy Filings in 2026

  15,000+

  filings, top counties

  Cook County, IL and Los Angeles County, CA each topped 15,000 filings, with the Chapter 7 vs. 13 split.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• The 25 U.S. Counties With the Worst Mortgage Delinquency Rates in 2026

  2.9%

  delinquent, worst counties

  Two Georgia counties and a Louisiana parish tied at nearly 3% delinquent — roughly quadruple the national rate.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• 2026 Mortgage Delinquency Outlook: Where It's Rising Fastest, by State

  51/51

  states trending up

  Our trend projection from CFPB data — every state we cover is trending up, not down.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• 2026 Debt Collection Complaint Surge: Which States Are Rising Fastest

  51

  states + D.C. covered

  Live CFPB complaint data — South Carolina, Mississippi, and Washington rising fastest by percentage.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• The 25 U.S. Counties Where Debt in Collections Is Most Common

  56.3%

  residents with debt in collections, top county

  Brooks County, TX leads at 56.3% of residents with a debt in collections — over double the national rate, led by South Texas border counties and reservation counties.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• Unemployment Overpayment Recovery, by State: Where States Recover the Least

  56.5%

  national recovery rate

  States established $1.34 billion in unemployment overpayment debt and recovered only 56.5% of it — Pennsylvania recovers the least of any state with meaningful volume.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• Where Medical Debt Complaints Are Most Common, by State (2026)

  15.8x

  spread between highest and lowest state rate

  CFPB medical-debt complaints per capita — Louisiana, Georgia, and Nevada lead; California and New York are lowest despite the highest raw counts.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• The Most Complained-About Debt Collectors, Ranked (2026)

  0%

  response rate, worst responder

  CL Holdings, Encore Capital Group, and Portfolio Recovery Associates lead by raw CFPB complaint volume — plus the collectors least likely to respond at all.

  Updated August 2026See the full ranking →
• Debt Collectors Ranked by Specific Complaint Type (2026)

  776

  false-statements complaints, category leader

  The 'worst offender' leaderboard changes by issue — Resurgent Capital Services leads false-statements complaints outright, not the companies that top the overall volume ranking.

  Updated August 2026See the full ranking →

State Law Rankings

How the actual rules compare — sourced to each state's statute, not survey or opinion.

• States With the Strongest Wage Garnishment Protections, Ranked

  3 states

  ban ordinary-debt garnishment

  From a full ban in Texas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina down to the plain federal formula.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• States With the Shortest Debt Collection Statute of Limitations, Ranked

  3–10 yrs

  range across states

  How long a creditor has to sue you over a written-contract or credit card debt.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →
• How Many Days to Respond to a Debt Lawsuit Summons, by State

  20–30

  days to answer

  The exact deadline to file an answer after being served, from 20 days up to 30.

  Updated July 2026See the full ranking →