ItemChicagoWard 33
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings25,334-26235th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4.2%-2.2%45th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed24,45496.5%24035th91.6%45th
Sealed8803.5%2215th8.4%6th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only4,67419.3%5631st23.8%17th
Eviction with Back Rent19,52980.7%17937th76.2%34th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,988-$2,18718th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order14,58160.2%13736th58.3%36th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)9,62239.8%9834th41.7%15th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,61714.9%3537th14.9%24th
Not a Default 20,58685.1%20035th85.1%27th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up8,63835.7%8734th37%19th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,2149.2%1840th7.7%35th
Not a First Time Up Outcome13,35155.2%13037th55.3%30th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord18,51776.5%18834th80%20th
Landlord without an Attorney5,68623.5%4736th20%31st
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,63010.9%3034th12.8%12th
Tenant without an Attorney21,57389.1%20536th87.2%39th
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 Order13,41062.2%12736th62%31st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,16337.8%7836th38.1%20th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,17144.5%1044th33.3%45th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,45955.5%2025th66.7%6th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default3,49516.2%3535th17.1%17th
Not a Default 18,07883.8%17035th82.9%33rd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1224.6%037th0%37th
Not a Default 2,50895.4%3031st100%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 Up8,50139.4%8634th42%14th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,15910%1840th8.8%34th
Not a First Time Up Outcome10,91350.6%10137th49.3%34th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1375.2%133rd3.3%36th
Other Outcome at First Time Up552.1%030th0%30th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,43892.7%2932nd96.7%5th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney21,57389.1%20536th87.2%39th
Private Attorney1,9468%2335th9.8%14th
Legal Aid Attorney6842.8%727th3%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 Order13,41062.2%12736th62%31st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,16337.8%7836th38.1%20th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order1,04153.5%944th39.1%49th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)90546.5%1427th60.9%2nd
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order13019%128th14.3%28th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)55481%625th85.7%18th

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---