ItemChicagoChicago Wards (data shown here if one selected)
NumberPercentNumberRankPercentRank

How Many Evictions Are There?

Eviction Filings
Eviction Filings18,345-----
Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Filing Rate2.9%-----
Sealed Cases (% of eviction filings)
Not Sealed16,14588%----
Sealed2,20012%----

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Eviction with Back Rent Cases
Eviction Only2,31014.5%----
Eviction with Back Rent13,68185.6%----
Median Back Rent Sought
Median Back Rent Sought$2,229-----

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction Orders (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order9,57159.9%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)6,42040.2%----
Eviction Orders by Default (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order by Default3,03719%----
Not a Default 12,95481%----
Eviction Orders at First Time Up (% of completed cases)
Eviction Order at First Time Up4,04525.3%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,50015.6%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome9,44659.1%----

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Landlord Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Landlord13,80486.3%----
Landlord without an Attorney2,18713.7%----
Tenant Representation (% of completed cases)
Represented Tenant1,94412.2%----
Tenant without an Attorney14,04787.8%----
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 Order8,55560.9%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,49239.1%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order1,01652.3%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)92847.7%----
Eviction Orders by Default by Representation
No Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants did not have an attorney)
Eviction Order by Default2,92920.9%----
Not a Default 11,11879.2%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order by Default1085.6%----
Not a Default 1,83694.4%----
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 Up3,95228.1%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up2,46917.6%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome7,62654.3%----
With an Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had attorney representation)
Eviction Order at First Time Up934.8%----
Other Outcome at First Time Up311.6%----
Not a First Time Up Outcome1,82093.6%----

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Tenant Attorney Type (% of completed cases)
No Attorney14,04787.8%----
Private Attorney1,68910.6%----
Legal Aid Attorney2551.6%----
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 Order8,55560.9%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)5,49239.1%----
Private Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a private attorney)
Eviction Order94956.2%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)74043.8%----
Legal Aid Attorney (% of completed cases where tenants had a legal aid attorney)
Eviction Order6726.3%----
Other Outcome (primarily dismissals)18873.7%----

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 level2,133,26078.9%----
Below poverty level570,04221.1%----
2018 Poverty (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
At or above poverty level2,186,30680.4%----
Below poverty level532,05619.6%----
Race (% of Population)
2010 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
White859,15631.8%----
Black909,83333.7%----
Latinx753,35627.9%----
Asian143,6465.3%----
Other37,3121.4%----
2018 Race (% of Population) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
White892,20732.8%----
Black808,16129.7%----
Latinx788,13429%----
Asian172,9356.4%----
Other56,9232.1%----
Rental Units (% of Housing)
2010 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Rental Units (% of Housing)592,69249.5%----
2018 Rental Units (% of Housing) from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Rental Units (% of Housing)626,86251.9%----
Median Rent
2010 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2006-2010)
Median Rent$885-----
2018 Median Rent from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2014-2018)
Median Rent$1,077-----