ItemChicagoChicago Wards (data shown here if one selected)
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings24,390-----
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4.1%-----
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed23,27295.4%----
Sealed1,1184.6%----

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only4,36618.9%----
Eviction with Back Rent18,69281.1%----
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,956-----

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order13,83860%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)9,22040%----
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,30514.3%----
Not a Default 19,75385.7%----
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up8,59237.3%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,56911.1%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome11,89751.6%----

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord17,51876%----
Landlord without an Attorney5,54024%----
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,39910.4%----
Tenant without an Attorney20,65989.6%----
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 Order12,76661.8%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,89338.2%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,07244.7%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,32755.3%----
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,20815.5%----
Not a Default 17,45184.5%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default974%----
Not a Default 2,30296%----
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 Up8,42740.8%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,52712.2%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,70547%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1656.9%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up421.8%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,19291.4%----

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney20,65989.6%----
Private Attorney1,7567.6%----
Legal Aid Attorney6432.8%----
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 Order12,76661.8%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,89338.2%----
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order94753.9%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)80946.1%----
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order12519.4%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)51880.6%----

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 level2,133,26078.9%----
Below poverty level570,04221.1%----
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,186,30680.4%----
Below poverty level532,05619.6%----
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,15631.8%----
Black909,83333.7%----
Latinx753,35627.9%----
Asian143,6465.3%----
Other37,3121.4%----
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,20732.8%----
Black808,16129.7%----
Latinx788,13429%----
Asian172,9356.4%----
Other56,9232.1%----
Rental Units (% of Housing)
2010 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Rental Units (% of Housing)592,69249.5%----
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,86251.9%----
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-----
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-----