ItemChicagoWard 12
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-16530th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-1.9%28th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%14430th87.3%28th
Sealed2,16111.9%2129th12.7%23rd

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%3822nd27%8th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%10335th73.1%43rd
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,22537th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%8925th63.1%9th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%5234th36.9%41st
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%2538th17.7%48th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%11627th82.3%3rd
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%3136th22%30th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%2131st14.9%23rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%8929th63.1%20th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%9541st67.4%47th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%4617th32.6%4th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%1341st9.2%38th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%12829th90.8%13th
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%8225th64.1%12th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4634th35.9%39th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%734th53.9%22nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%640th46.2%28th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%2538th19.5%47th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%10327th80.5%4th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%038th0%38th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%1337th100%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%3135th24.2%29th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%2131st16.4%25th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%7627th59.4%18th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%036th0%36th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%1338th100%1st

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%12829th90.8%13th
Private Attorney1,4059%1138th7.8%39th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%230th1.4%26th
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%8225th64.1%12th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4634th35.9%39th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%636th54.6%25th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%537th45.5%25th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%119th50%10th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%130th50%31st

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%36,70744th73.4%37th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%13,31618th26.6%14th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%37,08439th73.3%37th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%13,51617th26.7%14th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%5,61437th11.2%36th
Black909,84233.7%1,57941st3.2%40th
Latinx753,37527.9%39,2714th78.5%2nd
Asian143,6545.3%3,38316th6.8%12th
Other37,3131.4%17249th0.3%48th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%4,46637th8.8%36th
Black808,16529.7%1,66538th3.3%37th
Latinx788,14029%38,6835th76.5%3rd
Asian172,9916.4%5,34810th10.6%8th
Other56,9362.1%43743rd0.9%42nd
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%8,38839th49.7%28th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%8,82637th52.2%29th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$595 - $983---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$711 - $993---