ItemChicagoNear South Side
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings24,507-27834th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4%-4.8%33rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed21,85089.2%25534th91.7%19th
Sealed2,65710.8%2338th8.3%59th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,83917.7%3837th15.1%55th
Eviction with Back Rent17,82782.3%21334th84.9%23rd
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,889-$3,1285th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order13,06260.3%13835th55%58th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,60439.7%11329th45%20th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default1,7097.9%1934th7.6%44th
Not a Default 19,95792.1%23235th92.4%34th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up7,42534.3%9231st36.7%25th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,33410.8%4520th17.9%12th
Not a First Time Up Outcome11,90755%11437th45.4%70th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord17,34680.1%24628th98%2nd
Landlord without an Attorney4,32019.9%568th2%76th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,21110.2%4117th16.3%10th
Tenant without an Attorney19,45589.8%21036th83.7%68th
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 Order12,16162.5%12035th57.1%56th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,29437.5%9030th42.9%22nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order90140.8%1815th43.9%35th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,31059.3%2321st56.1%42nd
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default1,6478.5%1833rd8.6%40th
Not a Default 17,80891.5%19236th91.4%38th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default622.8%118th2.4%31st
Not a Default 2,14997.2%4017th97.6%46th
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 Up7,31937.6%9031st42.9%12th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,29911.8%4420th21%11th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,83750.6%7644th36.2%72nd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1064.8%211th4.9%30th
Other Outcome at First Time Up351.6%18th2.4%19th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,07093.6%3817th92.7%48th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney19,45589.8%21036th83.7%68th
Private Attorney1,7548.1%3317th13.2%10th
Legal Aid Attorney4572.1%821st3.2%18th
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 Order12,16162.5%12035th57.1%56th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,29437.5%9030th42.9%22nd
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order79045%1713th51.5%27th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)96455%1622nd48.5%50th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order11124.3%129th12.5%44th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)34675.7%718th87.5%20th

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---