ItemChicagoNew City
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-30523rd--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-3.3%30th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%25824th84.6%59th
Sealed2,16111.9%4714th15.4%19th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%6715th26.2%19th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%18928th73.8%59th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$1,88776th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%17418th68%8th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%8232nd32%70th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%7018th27.3%15th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%18624th72.7%63rd
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%7018th27.3%16th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%2632nd10.2%63rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%16021st62.5%37th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%15431st60.2%76th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%1023rd39.8%2nd
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%2528th9.8%46th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%23123rd90.2%32nd
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%16018th69.3%6th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%7131st30.7%72nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%1425th56%29th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%1129th44%47th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%6917th29.9%18th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%16224th70.1%60th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%132nd4%43rd
Not a Default 1,46290.1%2426th96%33rd
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%6918th29.9%16th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%2632nd11.3%62nd
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%13621st58.9%37th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%121st4%28th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%012th0%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%2426th96%44th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%23123rd90.2%32nd
Private Attorney1,4059%2520th9.8%31st
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%051st0%51st
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%16018th69.3%6th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%7131st30.7%72nd
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%1422nd56%37th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%1122nd44%39th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%030th0%30th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%049th0%49th

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%28,80931st66.1%68th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%14,77310th33.9%10th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%28,00932nd70.8%61st
Below poverty level530,11819.5%11,53313th29.2%16th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%6,00536th13.8%44th
Black909,84233.7%13,68725th31.4%36th
Latinx753,37527.9%22,69214th52.1%14th
Asian143,6545.3%66734th1.5%38th
Other37,3131.4%53122nd1.2%32nd
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%4,63835th11.7%44th
Black808,16529.7%9,32131st23.6%37th
Latinx788,14029%24,40210th61.7%11th
Asian172,9916.4%81435th2.1%39th
Other56,9362.1%36748th0.9%57th
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%7,90629th49.8%35th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%9,01127th57.7%27th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$614 - $1,539---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$684 - $1,144---