Every year in the United States, landlords file approximately 3.6 million eviction cases. That's nearly 10,000 per day. An estimated 1.5 million households are formally evicted, and millions more leave "voluntarily" under threat of filing. Yet eviction remains one of the least discussed aspects of the housing crisis.
The Scale of the Problem
Eviction data, tracked comprehensively by Princeton's Eviction Lab, reveals a system that processes millions of cases with remarkable efficiency and remarkably little justice:
- 3.6 million eviction cases filed annually
- 1.5 million formal eviction judgments
- 2+ million additional "informal evictions" (lockouts, cash-for-keys, threats)
- Average eviction case duration: 21 days from filing to judgment
- Average time tenant has to vacate after judgment: 7-10 days
Who Gets Evicted
Eviction is not random. It falls disproportionately on the most vulnerable:
By Race
Black renters face eviction filings at 2.3x the rate of white renters. Black women are evicted at the highest rate of any demographic group—an estimated 1 in 5 Black women renters have experienced an eviction in their lifetime.
By Gender
Women, particularly women with children, are disproportionately represented. In many jurisdictions, 60-70% of eviction defendants are women. Domestic violence is a contributing factor—calls for police service can trigger nuisance property ordinances that lead to eviction.
By Income
The vast majority of evictions involve households earning below $30,000 per year. The median amount owed at the time of filing is just $1,500—often representing a single month's rent plus late fees.
By Geography
| City | Eviction Filing Rate | Eviction Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | 11.4% | 5.8% |
| Richmond, VA | 15.2% | 6.5% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 9.8% | 4.9% |
| Columbus, OH | 10.5% | 5.2% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 8.7% | 4.1% |
| Memphis, TN | 12.8% | 6.9% |
| New York, NY | 3.8% | 1.5% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2.1% | 0.8% |
The highest eviction rates are found in Southern and Sunbelt cities with weak tenant protections. States without just-cause eviction requirements, right to cure periods, or rent stabilization see dramatically higher filing rates.
The Justice Gap
In eviction court, the playing field is profoundly uneven:
- Landlords have legal representation in 81% of cases
- Tenants have legal representation in just 3% of cases
- Average hearing length: 2-7 minutes
- Default judgments (tenant doesn't appear): 37% of all cases
Cities that have implemented right-to-counsel programs show dramatic results. New York City's program, launched in 2017, reduced evictions by 41% in its first five years. In ZIP codes served by the program, 84% of represented tenants remained in their homes.
The Cascading Consequences
An eviction is not just the loss of housing. Research documents a cascade of compounding harms:
- Housing instability: Evicted families move to neighborhoods with 25% higher poverty rates on average
- Employment: Eviction is associated with a 15% increase in job loss in the following two years
- Health: Evicted individuals show 20% higher rates of emergency department use and elevated rates of depression
- Children: Children who experience eviction are 2x more likely to change schools and show measurable academic declines
- Credit and records: An eviction filing appears on records for 7 years, making future housing applications significantly harder—even if the case was dismissed
- Homelessness: Eviction is the leading documented cause of family homelessness
Serial Filing as Business Strategy
Perhaps the most troubling finding from eviction research is the prevalence of serial filing—landlords who file for eviction repeatedly against the same tenant as a rent collection strategy. In many jurisdictions, an eviction filing can be made for as little as $45-$75, making it cheaper than hiring a collections agency. An estimated 30% of eviction filings are serial filings against the same address within a 12-month period.
Policy Solutions
- Right to counsel: Guarantee legal representation for tenants in eviction proceedings
- Just-cause eviction: Require landlords to have a legitimate reason for eviction beyond lease expiration
- Right to cure: Give tenants 14-30 days to pay owed rent before eviction can proceed
- Eviction record sealing: Seal dismissed cases and limit reporting of completed evictions
- Emergency rental assistance: Permanent, accessible funds for households facing temporary hardship
- Diversion programs: Court-connected mediation to resolve disputes without eviction
Data Sources
Princeton University Eviction Lab, Eviction Tracking System; National Center for State Courts; Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies; Matthew Desmond, "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City"; ACLU Right to Counsel Reports