ItemChicagoNear South Side
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-23533rd--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-3.6%29th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%22529th95.7%4th
Sealed2,16111.9%1053rd4.3%74th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%2240th10.1%66th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%19625th89.9%12th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,99616th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%10433rd47.7%69th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%11421st52.3%9th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%3834th17.4%72nd
Not a Default 11,75375.4%18026th82.6%6th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%5527th25.2%22nd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%589th26.6%6th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%10532nd48.2%70th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%21724th99.5%3rd
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%169th0.5%75th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%2232nd10.1%43rd
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%19628th89.9%35th
Eviction Orders by Representation - likelihood of an eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant) with or without an attorney.
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order8,31259.5%9033rd45.9%72nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%10617th54.1%6th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%1425th63.6%16th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%835th36.4%58th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%3734th18.9%71st
Not a Default 10,29173.7%15925th81.1%7th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%132nd4.6%41st
Not a Default 1,46290.1%2132nd95.5%35th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,31223.7%5227th26.5%31st
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%588th29.6%6th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%8634th43.9%68th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%37th13.6%9th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%012th0%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%1934th86.4%65th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%19628th89.9%35th
Private Attorney1,4059%2030th9.2%38th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%232nd0.9%39th
Eviction Orders by Attorney Type - likelihood of an eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant) based on type of representation.
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order8,31259.5%9033rd45.9%72nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%10617th54.1%6th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%1422nd70%11th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%636th30%65th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%030th0%30th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%225th100%1st

Census Data

Data from US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 5-year estimates were chosen for analysis as they provide the most current data at the census tract level. With 8 years of eviction data, we felt it warranted using more than one set of 5-year estimates, and as comparing non-overlapping 5-year estimates is the recommended approach, we chose to use the 2006-2010 estimates as a proxy for 2010 (our first year of eviction data) and the 2013-2017 estimates as our proxy for 2017 in overtime comparisons. Both sets of data are presented here for your use.

Poverty (% of Population)
2010 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
At or above poverty level2,138,44279.1%15,77555th88.2%18th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%2,10362nd11.8%59th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%21,87939th89.9%14th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%2,46459th10.1%64th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%7,78632nd43.6%23rd
Black909,84233.7%6,34339th35.5%32nd
Latinx753,37527.9%93850th5.3%50th
Asian143,6545.3%2,42520th13.6%8th
Other37,3131.4%38634th2.2%12th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%11,56126th47.5%22nd
Black808,16529.7%5,97939th24.6%36th
Latinx788,14029%99156th4.1%59th
Asian172,9916.4%5,00712th20.6%6th
Other56,9362.1%80524th3.3%12th
Rental Units (% of Housing)
2010 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Rental Units (% of Housing)592,75249.5%5,22041st44.3%49th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%6,42340th42.8%52nd
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$329 - $1,268---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$722 - $2,037---