ItemChicagoWard 36
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-14736th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-2.2%24th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%13134th89.1%21st
Sealed2,16111.9%1637th10.9%30th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%1838th14.2%37th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%10931st85.8%14th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,40526th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%8231st64.6%7th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%4543rd35.4%44th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%2733rd21.3%37th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%10034th78.7%14th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%3331st26%9th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%1736th13.4%32nd
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%7732nd60.6%31st

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%10735th84.3%29th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%2027th15.8%22nd
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%1631st12.6%11th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%11135th87.4%40th
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%7232nd64.9%8th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%3943rd35.1%43rd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%1024th62.5%8th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%640th37.5%43rd
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%2733rd24.3%32nd
Not a Default 10,29173.7%8434th75.7%19th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%038th0%38th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%1628th100%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%3135th27.9%10th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%1735th15.3%32nd
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%6331st56.8%29th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%213th12.5%2nd
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%1433rd87.5%47th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%11135th87.4%40th
Private Attorney1,4059%1235th9.5%21st
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%417th3.2%5th
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%7232nd64.9%8th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%3943rd35.1%43rd
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%926th75%2nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%347th25%49th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%119th25%25th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%318th75%21st

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%44,76220th81.2%21st
Below poverty level565,02420.9%10,37729th18.8%30th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%46,57820th84.9%17th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%8,30035th15.1%34th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%15,22023rd27.6%24th
Black909,84233.7%2,78034th5%34th
Latinx753,37527.9%34,8578th63.2%9th
Asian143,6545.3%1,43628th2.6%28th
Other37,3131.4%84521st1.5%21st
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%12,41530th22.6%30th
Black808,16529.7%1,53640th2.8%39th
Latinx788,14029%38,5557th70.3%7th
Asian172,9916.4%1,84827th3.4%27th
Other56,9362.1%52738th1%39th
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%7,07441st41.1%38th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%6,72743rd38.2%40th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$779 - $1,075---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$837 - $1,202---