ItemChicagoWard 49
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,220-45917th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-2.2%23rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,05988.1%42416th92.4%5th
Sealed2,16111.9%3519th7.6%46th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,30221.2%5219th12.5%41st
Eviction with Back Rent12,28278.8%36515th87.5%10th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,389-$2,44525th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,16258.8%20817th49.9%43rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42241.2%20913th50.1%8th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,83124.6%9416th22.5%33rd
Not a Default 11,75375.4%32316th77.5%18th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up3,39021.8%10212th24.5%14th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,28014.6%8111th19.4%13th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,91463.6%23417th56.1%42nd

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,52286.8%40513th97.1%7th
Landlord without an Attorney2,06213.2%1235th2.9%44th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,62210.4%4516th10.8%27th
Tenant without an Attorney13,96289.6%37217th89.2%23rd
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%18817th50.5%44th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%18414th49.5%7th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order85052.4%2019th44.4%37th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)77247.6%259th55.6%14th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,67126.3%8917th23.9%34th
Not a Default 10,29173.7%28316th76.1%17th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1609.9%512th11.1%12th
Not a Default 1,46290.1%4016th88.9%38th
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%9912th26.6%18th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,26116.2%8111th21.8%13th
Not a First Time Up Outcome8,38960.1%19217th51.6%41st
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up784.8%38th6.7%13th
Other Outcome at First Time Up191.2%014th0%14th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,52594%4216th93.3%30th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney13,96289.6%37217th89.2%23rd
Private Attorney1,4059%3517th8.4%30th
Legal Aid Attorney2171.4%107th2.4%13th
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%18817th50.5%44th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,65040.5%18414th49.5%7th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order78555.9%1719th48.6%37th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)62044.1%1811th51.4%14th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6530%36th30%23rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)15270.1%75th70%23rd

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%41,41330th74.3%34th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%14,34211th25.7%17th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%41,78129th75%36th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%13,96212th25.1%15th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%21,18817th38%17th
Black909,84233.7%15,92519th28.6%19th
Latinx753,37527.9%13,44920th24.1%20th
Asian143,6545.3%3,40015th6.1%17th
Other37,3131.4%1,7932nd3.2%2nd
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%24,34817th43.7%17th
Black808,16529.7%14,95319th26.8%19th
Latinx788,14029%11,11624th19.9%24th
Asian172,9916.4%3,15022nd5.7%20th
Other56,9362.1%2,1745th3.9%5th
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%18,4276th65.7%1st
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%20,2277th72.1%1st
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$709 - $952---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$690 - $1,063---