ItemChicagoWard 33
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings19,529-16537th--
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate3.1%-1.3%43rd--
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed17,12987.7%14236th86.1%26th
Sealed2,40012.3%2339th13.9%25th

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only2,64115.6%2243rd15.8%31st
Eviction with Back Rent14,33684.4%11735th84.2%20th
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,180-$2,23530th--

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order10,00258.9%7142nd51.1%46th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,97541.1%6832nd48.9%5th
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default2,31313.6%1739th12.2%36th
Not a Default 14,66486.4%12236th87.8%15th
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up4,92329%4533rd32.4%10th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,64115.6%3126th22.3%6th
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,41355.5%6344th45.3%49th

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord14,30284.2%11935th85.6%24th
Landlord without an Attorney2,67515.8%2035th14.4%27th
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant2,08412.3%1741st12.2%29th
Tenant without an Attorney14,89387.7%12236th87.8%22nd
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%6343rd51.6%45th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,89839.6%5929th48.4%6th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,00748.3%840th47.1%27th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)1,07751.7%936th52.9%24th
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default2,22915%1738th13.9%31st
Not a Default 12,66485%10536th86.1%20th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default844%036th0%36th
Not a Default 2,00096%1740th100%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 Up4,80232.2%4333rd35.3%12th
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,59817.4%3126th25.4%7th
Not a First Time Up Outcome7,49350.3%4844th39.3%47th
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up1215.8%224th11.8%9th
Other Outcome at First Time Up432.1%031st0%31st
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,92092.1%1541st88.2%40th

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney14,89387.7%12236th87.8%22nd
Private Attorney1,82410.7%1442nd10.1%33rd
Legal Aid Attorney2601.5%323rd2.2%15th
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%6343rd51.6%45th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,89839.6%5929th48.4%6th
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order93751.4%839th57.1%15th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)88748.6%645th42.9%36th
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order7026.9%035th0%35th
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)19073.1%319th100%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%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---