ItemChicagoGage Park
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-12043rd--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-2.4%42nd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%10442nd86.7%47th
Sealed2,16111.9%1640th13.3%31st

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%2633rd25.5%23rd
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%7642nd74.5%55th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$1,90075th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%5244th51%61st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%5040th49%17th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%2741st26.5%19th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%7541st73.5%59th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%1945th18.6%62nd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%1641st15.7%30th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%6740th65.7%26th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%7443rd72.6%71st
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%2822nd27.5%7th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%1637th15.7%9th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%8643rd84.3%68th
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%4544th52.3%57th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4141st47.7%21st
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%741st43.8%60th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%934th56.3%16th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%2740th31.4%11th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%5943rd68.6%67th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%047th0%47th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%1635th100%1st
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%1846th20.9%61st
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%1641st18.6%27th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%5243rd60.5%30th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%121st6.3%20th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%012th0%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%1538th93.8%50th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%8643rd84.3%68th
Private Attorney1,4059%1338th12.8%18th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%326th2.9%10th
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%4544th52.3%57th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4141st47.7%21st
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%544th38.5%66th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%831st61.5%10th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%28th66.7%4th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%133rd33.3%45th

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%30,79330th79.3%41st
Below poverty level565,02420.9%8,05732nd20.7%37th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%32,20429th81.9%36th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%7,09833rd18.1%42nd
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%2,01553rd5.2%52nd
Black909,84233.7%1,85553rd4.8%52nd
Latinx753,37527.9%34,6395th89.2%1st
Asian143,6545.3%14047th0.4%53rd
Other37,3131.4%20149th0.5%62nd
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%1,50254th3.8%56th
Black808,16529.7%1,50352nd3.8%51st
Latinx788,14029%36,0724th91.8%1st
Asian172,9916.4%20647th0.5%54th
Other56,9362.1%1975th0.1%75th
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%4,24744th41.1%53rd
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%4,88843rd45.5%49th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$706 - $857---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$678 - $959---