ItemChicagoWard 33
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings24,507-24735th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate4%-2%40th--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed21,85089.2%21536th87%32nd
Sealed2,65710.8%3233rd13%19th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only3,83917.7%5328th25%9th
Eviction with Back Rent17,82782.3%15936th75%42nd
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$1,889-$2,10016th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order13,06260.3%12934th60.9%24th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)8,60439.7%8335th39.2%27th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default1,7097.9%1045th4.7%49th
Not a Default 19,95792.1%20235th95.3%2nd
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up7,42534.3%7930th37.3%8th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,33410.8%1540th7.1%43rd
Not a First Time Up Outcome11,90755%11835th55.7%24th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord17,34680.1%17730th83.5%19th
Landlord without an Attorney4,32019.9%3534th16.5%32nd
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,21110.2%3028th14.2%9th
Tenant without an Attorney19,45589.8%18237th85.9%42nd
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%11135th61%31st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,29437.5%7133rd39%19th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order90140.8%1818th60%3rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,31059.3%1242nd40%48th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default1,6478.5%944th5%48th
Not a Default 17,80891.5%17336th95.1%3rd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default622.8%115th3.3%21st
Not a Default 2,14997.2%2928th96.7%29th
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%7730th42.3%4th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,29911.8%1442nd7.7%44th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,83750.6%9134th50%26th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1064.8%217th6.7%17th
Other Outcome at First Time Up351.6%19th3.3%11th
Not a First Time Up Outcome2,07093.6%2731st90%41st

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney19,45589.8%18237th85.9%42nd
Private Attorney1,7548.1%1740th8%29th
Legal Aid Attorney4572.1%1310th6.1%1st
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%11135th61%31st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)7,29437.5%7133rd39%19th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order79045%1229th70.6%2nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)96455%545th29.4%49th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order11124.3%63rd46.2%7th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)34675.7%716th53.9%42nd

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---