In court-decided eviction outcomes for Centralia, IL, tenants prevail in roughly 37.5% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
112d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Centralia, IL until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 112 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$5.4–13.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Centralia, IL costs landlords $5,432 to $13,361 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$765
29% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Centralia, IL is $765 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 29% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
37.5%
of households
37.5% of occupied housing units in Centralia, IL are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
22.6%
10.6% unemp.
22.6% of Centralia, IL residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 10.6%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +49.5% (2024)
3.4
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.4
State political climate
Illinois legislature & governorship
5.2
Economic stress
22.6% poverty · 10.6% unemp.
8.6
Supply constraint
$765 average · 37.5% renters
5.4
Rent Control risk
29.0% of income on rent
7.0
Eviction process difficulty
112 days filing → judgment
4.7
Tenant organizing strength
37.5% renters
7.5
Housing court bias
County bench composition
7.6
Geographic context
Risk heat across Centralia and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Centralia compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Marion County
Very High
#2of 13 cities
#2 of 13 cities in Marion County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Illinois
Elevated
#547of 1,456 cities
#547 of 1,456 cities in Illinois for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
4.2
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 4.2/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+2.2 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
112d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $765/mo. A contested eviction takes 112 days and costs $5,432–$13,361 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
37.5%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 11,856 residents, 37.5% rent. 29% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 22.6% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.4
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.4 and 3.4 (GOP margin +49.5% (2024)). State climate at 5.2, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
5.2
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 5.2/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 4.7, housing court bias 7.6, rent-control risk 7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-0.3 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.6
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8.6. Supply constraint: 5.4. The numbers behind those: 22.6% poverty, 10.6% unemployment, 29% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Centralia sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Centralia · 112d · ~$9.4k all-in ($84/day) · score 4.2National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Centralia, Illinois, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.2/10 (MODERATE tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Centralia is a city of 11,856 residents where 37.5% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 29.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $765/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Centralia eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 4.7/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Centralia closes 112 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Centralia's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 7.6/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Centralia runs $5,432 to $13,361 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 112 days of typical timeline and $765/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 7.5/10 in Centralia, and the city carries meaningful rent control exposure (7/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Illinois, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Centralia: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a MODERATE tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Illinois's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $13,361 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Centralia
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Cost-versus-timeline trade-off: at 112 days and roughly $13,361 on the high end, cash-for-keys at $5,344 to $8,016 typically beats the legal route for non-aggravated cases. Default judgment frequency is high under ILCS preemption + Chicago RLTO.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the absolute fastest I can get a tenant out for not paying rent in Centralia?
The absolute fastest scenario, if everything goes perfectly and the tenant doesn't fight it, would be around 30-45 days from serving the 5-day notice to getting a court order. However, the typical timeline in Centralia is 112 days. Don't expect the best-case scenario; plan for the average.
Q2
Can I charge whatever I want for a security deposit in Illinois?
Illinois doesn't have a statutory cap on security deposits. You can charge what you deem appropriate, but keep it reasonable. Most landlords charge one to two months' rent. Just remember the 30-day return deadline and the itemized statement requirement.
Q3
Do I have to accept Section 8 tenants in Centralia?
Yes. Illinois has statewide source-of-income protection. This means you cannot refuse to rent to a tenant solely because they use a Section 8 voucher or other legal form of income. You must apply your standard screening criteria fairly to all applicants, regardless of their income source.
Q4
What if my tenant just leaves without telling me?
If a tenant abandons the property, you generally need to follow specific procedures to legally regain possession and mitigate damages. Check your lease for abandonment clauses. You may still need to send notices or obtain a court order depending on how clearly the property has been abandoned. Consult an attorney before you assume you can just move their stuff out.
Q5
Should I try "cash for keys" before going to court?
Often, yes. "Cash for keys" can be a smart move, especially in a city like Centralia with a 112-day average eviction timeline and high costs. It can save you thousands in legal fees and lost rent, and gets your unit back faster. Always get the agreement in writing.
Q6
Can I evict a tenant in Centralia without a lawyer?
You can, but it's risky, especially given the complexity of Illinois law and the potential for costly delays from procedural errors. With Centralia's 5.7/10 risk score and the average cost of an eviction, hiring an attorney is usually a sound investment to protect your property and ensure the process is handled correctly. For a broader view, check out our Marion County eviction guide.
A 4.2/10 places Centralia in the 64th percentile of Illinois cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Centralia (4.2/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
