A free tool from NextGen Properties — $500M+ AUM

Essex, IL Eviction Risk Score Grundy County · Illinois · Pop. 1,026

Updated
● Low Risk

Essex, IL sits at 3.8/10 — Low risk. 10.0% rent burden, 10.5% renters, ~120-day typical timeline.

★★☆ Medium confidence · 91%
Very Low Low Moderate Elevated High Very High
Score vs. benchmarks
Essex
3.8
Grundy County
4.8
Illinois avg
4.8
National avg
4.4
42.2%Tenant-law probabilityi
$5,537–13,928Typical eviction costi
120 daysTypical timelinei
$1,510HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$1,143Median renti
10.0%Rent burdeni
10.5%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

Low risk
High risk
Heat = surrounding cities. Click any dot to compare.

Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
4.3
Regional political climatei
4.3
State political climate
5.2
Economic stressi
4.1
Supply constrainti
4.9
Rent-control riski
1.1
Eviction process difficulty
5.1
Tenant organizing strengthi
2.8
Housing court bias
2.1
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Essex?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Essex, IL

Essex, IL has an eviction risk score of 3.8 out of 10, placing it in the low-risk tier for landlords operating in Grundy County and the state of Illinois. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 10.0% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Essex is $1,143/month. About 10.5% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 4.8%, unemployment 3.3%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Grundy County voted Republican by 25.8 points — classified as strongly landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 3.8/10, Essex is a lower-risk environment. Standard screening, documented notices, and prompt action on non-payment typically resolve quickly. Still follow your state's specific notice and service requirements.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
East Brooklyn, IL 3.9 mi 50 4.5
South Wilmington, IL 4.6 mi 600 4.4
Braceville, IL 4.9 mi 860 4.4
Godley, IL 5 mi 602 5.4
Custer Park, IL 5.3 mi 459 5.4
Union Hill, IL 5.7 mi 73 3.9
Rest Haven, IL 6.1 mi 455 6.7
Braidwood, IL 6.2 mi 6,062 5.2

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for Illinois

Eviction Costs — Illinois →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — Illinois →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — Illinois →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — Illinois →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — Illinois →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry