ItemChicagoNear South Side
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings19,529-22535th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate3.1%-3.6%33rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed17,12987.7%21232nd94.2%8th
Sealed2,40012.3%1350th5.8%70th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only2,64115.6%1744th8%74th
Eviction with Back Rent14,33684.4%19530th92%4th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,180-$3,4414th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order10,00258.9%10837th50.9%63rd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,97541.1%10427th49.1%15th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default2,31313.6%3028th14.2%29th
Not a Default 14,66486.4%18231st85.9%49th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up4,92329%6236th29.3%43rd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,64115.6%4923rd23.1%7th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,41355.5%10134th47.6%67th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord14,30284.2%20426th96.2%11th
Landlord without an Attorney2,67515.8%852nd3.8%67th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,08412.3%2530th11.8%47th
Tenant without an Attorney14,89387.7%18732nd88.2%31st
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 Order8,99560.4%9537th50.8%71st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,89839.6%9224th49.2%7th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,00748.3%1328th52%24th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,07751.7%1234th48%53rd
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default2,22915%2730th14.4%40th
Not a Default 12,66485%16030th85.6%38th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default844%36th12%3rd
Not a Default 2,00096%2231st88%74th
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 Up4,80232.2%6135th32.6%43rd
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,59817.4%4723rd25.1%9th
Not a First Time Up Outcome7,49350.3%7931st42.3%63rd
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1215.8%127th4%44th
Other Outcome at First Time Up432.1%24th8%6th
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,92092.1%2230th88%59th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney14,89387.7%18732nd88.2%31st
Private Attorney1,82410.7%2326th10.9%38th
Legal Aid Attorney2601.5%234th0.9%48th
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 Order8,99560.4%9537th50.8%71st
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,89839.6%9224th49.2%7th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order93751.4%1323rd56.5%22nd
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)88748.6%1029th43.5%55th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order7026.9%036th0%36th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)19073.1%231st100%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---