Neighborhood · Chicago, IL

River West Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 4,567 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.5/10 · range 3.5–3.5

River West is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Chicago with 1 census tract and a population of 4,567 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.5/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 23% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 14% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $2,575/month sits 79% higher than the Chicago citywide average ($1,440).

Risk score

3.5

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

River West vs Chicago How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

23.3% -20%

Chicago: 29.3%

Average gross rent

$2,575 +79%

Chicago: $1,440

Average HH income

$169,198 +125%

Chicago: $75,134

Poverty rate

4.4% -74%

Chicago: 16.8%

Renter share

62.8% +16%

Chicago: 54.0%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across River West and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 3.5–3.5

Why River West scores 3.5

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 5.2–5.2 across tracts

5.2

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 7.5–7.5 across tracts

7.5

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 8.5–8.5 across tracts

8.5

Rent control risk

23% of income on rent · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 7.5–7.5 across tracts

7.5

Tenant organizing strength

63% renter households · Range 8.0–8.0 across tracts

8.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 6.5–6.5 across tracts

6.5

Economic stress

4.4% below poverty line · Range 1.1–1.1 across tracts

1.1

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 9.6–9.6 across tracts

9.6

Risk score comparison

River West vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in River West

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
17031243500	3.5	4,567	23%	$2,575

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 14

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 16%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 2%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 52%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 56%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in River West

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

275Total filings (sum)
2.26%Avg annual filing rate
3.9%Peak year (2011)
1.74%Latest filed (2015)

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in River West

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

7.8%Housing insecurity
4.3%Utility shutoff threat
7.1%Food insecurity
5.0%SNAP enrollment
5.1%No health insurance
13.8%Any disability

Frequently asked

About River West

What is the eviction-risk score for River West?

River West scores 3.5/10 (Lower tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does River West compare to Chicago overall?

River West scores 2.2 points lower than Chicago overall (5.7/10). Renters spend 23% of income on rent vs 29% citywide. Average rent: $2,575 vs $1,440.

What is the average rent in River West?

Average gross rent in River West is $2,575/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 23% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of River West residents are renters?

63% of River West households are renter-occupied (vs 54% in Chicago). The neighborhood has 4,567 residents.

Is River West a high social-vulnerability area?

River West sits in the 14th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (low vulnerability). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is River West for landlords?

River West carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.5/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Chicago as a whole (5.7/10), this neighborhood is lower-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of River West?

River West has 4,550 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (70.8%), Hispanic / Latino (14.5%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (5.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near River West

4 Noble Square 3 tracts · pop 9,594 4.2 River North 2 tracts · pop 4,713 4.6 Cabrini-Green 3 tracts · pop 22,846 3.8 East Village 4 tracts · pop 12,319 4.6 Greektown 2 tracts · pop 11,155 3.9 Magnificent Mile 6 tracts · pop 26,168

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Chicago

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to River West.

3.5 Lakeshore East 2 tracts · pop 14,647 3.5 Financial District 1 tracts · pop 8,227 3.5 Ranch Triangle 2 tracts · pop 7,074 3.6 Sauganash 1 tracts · pop 7,046 3.6 Magnolia Glen 1 tracts · pop 6,344 3.6 West DePaul 3 tracts · pop 9,922

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