ItemChicagoWard 3
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings25,201-1,0664th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4.2%-6.6%13th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed23,52993.4%1,0234th96%11th
Sealed1,6726.6%4317th4%40th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only4,54119.5%1994th19.6%30th
Eviction with Back Rent18,75480.5%8154th80.4%21st
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,850-$1,98821st--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order14,52062.3%5876th57.9%36th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,77537.7%4274th42.1%15th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default1,9108.2%709th6.9%40th
Not a Default 21,38591.8%9444th93.1%11th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up8,37536%3733rd36.8%18th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,1889.4%1292nd12.7%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome12,73254.7%5126th50.5%41st

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord18,36678.8%9044th89.2%11th
Landlord without an Attorney4,92921.2%11017th10.9%40th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,59211.1%1241st12.2%24th
Tenant without an Attorney20,70388.9%8905th87.8%27th
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%5516th61.9%33rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,39435.7%3394th38.1%18th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,21146.7%3612th29%49th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,38153.3%881st71%2nd
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default1,8458.9%709th7.9%38th
Not a Default 18,85891.1%8204th92.1%13th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default652.5%034th0%34th
Not a Default 2,52797.5%1241st100%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%3703rd41.6%15th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,14510.4%1242nd13.9%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome10,33549.9%3967th44.5%44th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1525.9%318th2.4%42nd
Other Outcome at First Time Up431.7%51st4%5th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,39792.5%1161st93.6%25th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney20,70388.9%8905th87.8%27th
Private Attorney2,0008.6%795th7.8%37th
Legal Aid Attorney5922.5%451st4.4%6th
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%5516th61.9%33rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,39435.7%3394th38.1%18th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order1,07753.9%3213th40.5%43rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)92346.2%471st59.5%8th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order13422.6%410th8.9%42nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)45877.4%411st91.1%8th

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%36,78442nd73.9%36th
Below poverty level565,02420.9%13,02720th26.2%15th
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,188,43780.5%43,79426th75%35th
Below poverty level530,11819.5%14,5748th25%16th
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,28231.8%10,00232nd20.1%27th
Black909,84233.7%34,51615th69.3%12th
Latinx753,37527.9%1,63145th3.3%45th
Asian143,6545.3%3,05719th6.1%16th
Other37,3131.4%60128th1.2%24th
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,32332.8%13,77524th23.6%29th
Black808,16529.7%34,83710th59.7%14th
Latinx788,14029%2,09446th3.6%46th
Asian172,9916.4%6,1579th10.6%9th
Other56,9362.1%1,50118th2.6%18th
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%15,12616th53.7%18th
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,92951.9%18,0499th57.1%16th
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-$247 - $1,268---
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-$280 - $2,114---