ItemChicagoNear South Side
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings25,201-27035th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4.2%-4.8%29th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed23,52993.4%25635th94.8%25th
Sealed1,6726.6%1437th5.2%53rd

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only4,54119.5%3839th15%60th
Eviction with Back Rent18,75480.5%21531st85%18th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,850-$2,9113rd--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order14,52062.3%12739th50.2%72nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,77537.7%12627th49.8%6th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default1,9108.2%2032nd7.9%40th
Not a Default 21,38591.8%23335th92.1%38th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up8,37536%8437th33.2%59th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,1889.4%3222nd12.7%24th
Not a First Time Up Outcome12,73254.7%13735th54.2%46th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord18,36678.8%24128th95.3%12th
Landlord without an Attorney4,92921.2%1258th4.7%66th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,59211.1%3827th15%15th
Tenant without an Attorney20,70388.9%21536th85%63rd
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 Order13,30964.3%11539th53.5%70th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,39435.7%10029th46.5%8th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,21146.7%1238th31.6%67th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,38153.3%2620th68.4%11th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default1,8458.9%2031st9.3%30th
Not a Default 18,85891.1%19536th90.7%48th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default652.5%036th0%36th
Not a Default 2,52797.5%3826th100%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 Up8,22339.7%8337th38.6%42nd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,14510.4%3222nd14.9%23rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome10,33549.9%10037th46.5%53rd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1525.9%129th2.6%46th
Other Outcome at First Time Up431.7%030th0%30th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,39792.5%3727th97.4%21st

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney20,70388.9%21536th85%63rd
Private Attorney2,0008.6%3520th13.8%12th
Legal Aid Attorney5922.5%347th1.2%61st
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 Order13,30964.3%11539th53.5%70th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,39435.7%10029th46.5%8th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order1,07753.9%1235th34.3%68th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)92346.2%2312th65.7%9th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order13422.6%046th0%46th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)45877.4%343rd100%1st

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%15,77555th88.2%18th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%2,10362nd11.8%59th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%21,87939th89.9%14th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%2,46459th10.1%64th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%7,78632nd43.6%23rd
Black909,84233.7%6,34339th35.5%32nd
Latinx753,37527.9%93850th5.3%50th
Asian143,6545.3%2,42520th13.6%8th
Other37,3131.4%38634th2.2%12th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%11,56126th47.5%22nd
Black808,16529.7%5,97939th24.6%36th
Latinx788,14029%99156th4.1%59th
Asian172,9916.4%5,00712th20.6%6th
Other56,9362.1%80524th3.3%12th
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%5,22041st44.3%49th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%6,42340th42.8%52nd
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$329 - $1,268---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$722 - $2,037---