ItemChicagoWard 20
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-8665th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-5.5%10th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%7655th88.3%24th
Sealed2,16111.9%1014th11.7%27th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%1933rd26%12th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%5505th74%39th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,24334th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%4694th63.1%9th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%2745th36.9%41st
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%1975th26.5%8th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%5463rd73.5%43rd
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%1615th21.7%31st
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%909th12.1%37th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%4925th66.2%14th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%6405th86.1%27th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%1037th13.9%24th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%674th9%43rd
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%6764th91%8th
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%4404th65.1%6th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%2366th34.9%45th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%2910th43.3%40th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%384th56.7%11th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%1924th28.4%9th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%4843rd71.6%42nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%512th7.5%26th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%624th92.5%25th
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%1605th23.7%33rd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%909th13.3%37th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%4265th63%14th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%119th1.5%35th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%664th98.5%13th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%6764th91%8th
Private Attorney1,4059%556th7.4%43rd
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%122nd1.6%21st
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%4404th65.1%6th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%2366th34.9%45th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%2810th50.9%35th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%274th49.1%16th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%119th8.3%31st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%111st91.7%15th

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%29,88250th61%49th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%19,1183rd39%2nd
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%28,26350th62.6%48th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%16,9013rd37.4%3rd
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%2,27039th4.6%39th
Black909,84233.7%39,65811th80.9%9th
Latinx753,37527.9%6,13632nd12.5%30th
Asian143,6545.3%46235th0.9%34th
Other37,3131.4%47136th1%34th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%2,63238th5.8%38th
Black808,16529.7%33,95813th75.2%9th
Latinx788,14029%6,86734th15.2%29th
Asian172,9916.4%92433rd2.1%31st
Other56,9362.1%78531st1.7%26th
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%14,83817th60.7%8th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%15,69414th67.5%4th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$407 - $1,539---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$392 - $1,188---