ItemChicagoWard 3
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-7337th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-4%16th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%6637th90.5%14th
Sealed2,16111.9%7015th9.6%37th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%11910th18.6%28th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%5227th81.4%23rd
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,87210th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%3737th58.2%27th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%2686th41.8%24th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%1488th23.1%28th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%4937th76.9%23rd
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%1536th23.9%18th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%995th15.4%21st
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%3898th60.7%30th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%6056th94.4%13th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%3620th5.6%38th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%588th9.1%42nd
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%5837th91%9th
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%3378th57.8%29th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%2465th42.2%22nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%367th62.1%9th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%2212th37.9%42nd
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%1398th23.8%35th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%4446th76.2%16th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%94th15.5%5th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%499th84.5%46th
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%1496th25.6%20th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%994th17%23rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%3358th57.5%24th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%45th6.9%12th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%548th93.1%32nd

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%5837th91%9th
Private Attorney1,4059%517th8%37th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%712th1.1%28th
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%3378th57.8%29th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%2465th42.2%22nd
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%355th68.6%5th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%1616th31.4%46th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%119th14.3%30th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%69th85.7%17th

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%36,78442nd73.9%36th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%13,02720th26.2%15th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%43,79426th75%35th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%14,5748th25%16th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%10,00232nd20.1%27th
Black909,84233.7%34,51615th69.3%12th
Latinx753,37527.9%1,63145th3.3%45th
Asian143,6545.3%3,05719th6.1%16th
Other37,3131.4%60128th1.2%24th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%13,77524th23.6%29th
Black808,16529.7%34,83710th59.7%14th
Latinx788,14029%2,09446th3.6%46th
Asian172,9916.4%6,1579th10.6%9th
Other56,9362.1%1,50118th2.6%18th
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%15,12616th53.7%18th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%18,0499th57.1%16th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$247 - $1,268---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$280 - $2,114---