ItemChicagoWard 46
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-33620th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-1.6%33rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%31820th94.6%1st
Sealed2,16111.9%1834th5.4%49th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%3130th10%45th
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%27820th90%6th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,26933rd--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%12923rd41.8%50th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%18018th58.3%1st
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%5622nd18.1%46th
Not a Default 11,75375.4%25320th81.9%5th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%6420th20.7%37th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%986th31.7%2nd
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%14721st47.6%48th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%30819th99.7%3rd
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%148th0.3%48th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%2821st9.1%41st
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%28120th90.9%10th
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%11822nd42%50th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%16318th58%1st
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%1123rd39.3%45th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%1719th60.7%6th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%5322nd18.9%49th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%22820th81.1%2nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%316th10.7%15th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%2521st89.3%36th
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%6420th22.8%38th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%967th34.2%2nd
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%12122nd43.1%48th
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%22nd7.1%3rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%2621st92.9%33rd

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%28120th90.9%10th
Private Attorney1,4059%1626th5.2%49th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%122nd3.9%2nd
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%11822nd42%50th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%16318th58%1st
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%636th37.5%45th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%1021st62.5%6th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%51st41.7%17th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%75th58.3%30th

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%41,49529th77.5%26th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%12,05625th22.5%24th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%44,01625th79.7%25th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%11,20624th20.3%26th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%29,91112th55.9%11th
Black909,84233.7%9,72722nd18.2%22nd
Latinx753,37527.9%7,09129th13.2%28th
Asian143,6545.3%5,7588th10.8%8th
Other37,3131.4%1,0668th2%10th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%31,58612th57.2%11th
Black808,16529.7%9,48922nd17.2%22nd
Latinx788,14029%7,36733rd13.3%33rd
Asian172,9916.4%4,77913th8.7%12th
Other56,9362.1%2,0019th3.6%6th
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%20,7562nd62.4%5th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%21,4615th64.5%6th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$493 - $1,130---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$429 - $1,940---