ItemChicagoWard 33
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings26,389-26237th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4.4%-2.2%43rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed25,00494.8%24636th93.9%29th
Sealed1,3855.3%1640th6.1%22nd

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only4,71219%4539th18.6%30th
Eviction with Back Rent20,05081%19734th81.4%21st
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,872-$2,29111th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order15,22761.5%14436th59.5%34th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)9,53538.5%9832nd40.5%17th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default4,85919.6%4138th16.9%41st
Not a Default 19,90380.4%20136th83.1%10th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up9,08236.7%7638th31.4%41st
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,2809.2%1934th7.9%26th
Not a First Time Up Outcome13,40054.1%14733rd60.7%5th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord19,37778.3%19530th80.6%21st
Landlord without an Attorney5,38521.8%4734th19.4%30th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,47810%3525th14.5%6th
Tenant without an Attorney22,28490%20736th85.5%45th
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 Order14,15063.5%12636th60.9%35th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,13436.5%8133rd39.1%16th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,07743.5%1827th51.4%17th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,40156.5%1728th48.6%34th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default4,72421.2%4038th19.3%39th
Not a Default 17,56078.8%16737th80.7%12th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1355.5%133rd2.9%38th
Not a Default 2,34394.6%3425th97.1%13th
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 Up8,96940.3%7438th35.8%40th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,24210.1%1834th8.7%26th
Not a First Time Up Outcome11,07349.7%11537th55.6%5th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1134.6%219th5.7%15th
Other Outcome at First Time Up381.5%17th2.9%6th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,32793.9%3227th91.4%41st

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney22,28490%20736th85.5%45th
Private Attorney1,9017.7%3123rd12.8%6th
Legal Aid Attorney5772.3%433rd1.7%29th
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 Order14,15063.5%12636th60.9%35th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,13436.5%8133rd39.1%16th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order96050.5%1626th51.6%25th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)94149.5%1525th48.4%26th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order11720.3%221st50%4th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)46079.7%238th50%44th

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---