ItemChicagoWard 33
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-13740th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-1.1%44th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%11541st83.9%45th
Sealed2,16111.9%2227th16.1%6th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%1640th14.6%36th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%9438th85.5%15th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,60517th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%5942nd53.6%37th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%5135th46.4%14th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%2538th22.7%31st
Not a Default 11,75375.4%8542nd77.3%20th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%2640th23.6%19th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%1736th15.5%20th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%6741st60.9%29th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%9640th87.3%25th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%1434th12.7%26th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%1244th10.9%25th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%9840th89.1%26th
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%5241st53.1%40th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4634th46.9%10th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%734th58.3%13th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%543rd41.7%38th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%2440th24.5%30th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%7440th75.5%21st
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%126th8.3%20th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%1144th91.7%28th
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%2540th25.5%21st
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%1735th17.4%19th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%5638th57.1%26th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%119th8.3%6th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%1145th91.7%39th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%9840th89.1%26th
Private Attorney1,4059%1043rd9.1%24th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%230th1.8%17th
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%5241st53.1%40th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%4634th46.9%10th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%636th60%17th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%442nd40%34th
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%46,62814th84.4%17th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%8,59734th15.6%34th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%46,25821st83.6%19th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%9,04831st16.4%32nd
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%18,02120th32.6%20th
Black909,84233.7%1,91738th3.5%38th
Latinx753,37527.9%29,41214th53.3%14th
Asian143,6545.3%4,9159th8.9%9th
Other37,3131.4%95815th1.7%14th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%20,76318th37.5%18th
Black808,16529.7%2,29535th4.2%33rd
Latinx788,14029%25,40314th45.9%14th
Asian172,9916.4%5,31111th9.6%11th
Other56,9362.1%1,53516th2.8%16th
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%11,62425th53.3%20th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%12,71321st57%17th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$806 - $1,070---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$990 - $1,331---