7 census tracts · pop 23,737 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.6/10
· range 3.6–5.4
University Heights spans 7 census tracts of Indianapolis, IN, population 23,737. It carries an Eviction Risk Score of 4.6/10, in the Moderate tier. 59% of renters here are cost-burdened at the 30% threshold, well clear of the Indianapolis rate of 30.4%.
31% are severely burdened, paying half their income or more in rent. That cohort has no absorption capacity for an unexpected bill, and it is where non-payment filings originate. What pushes the score up most is tenant-organizing strength at 8.7/10.
Internally this is not one market. Tract scores span 3.6 to 5.4, so two buildings inside the same boundary can carry materially different risk. Running cool is eviction-process difficulty, at 2.1/10.
The poverty rate is 18%, which shows up in this model as reduced rent-recovery odds after a judgment. At $983 a month, rents sit 15% under what the rest of Indianapolis commands.
On the softer side is supply constraint, at 2.7/10. Among the 76 mapped neighborhoods of Indianapolis, it ranks #22 by risk, the upper third.
The closest comparables inside the same city are Highland Vicinity and Friends and Neighbors. Social vulnerability runs high at 7.5/10, concentrating the disaster- and displacement-exposure this model treats as a lagging risk input.
Annual rent works out to 23% of average household income of $50,303. 50% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
For a specific building, read the per-tract breakdown below rather than the 4.6 headline, because the internal range is too wide to average safely. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
4.6
Moderate
7 tracts · population-weighted
University Heights vs IndianapolisHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority50%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport59%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in University Heights
Aggregated across 0 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Pandemic-era tracking (2020–2021)
4,494Total filings 2020-21
9.3Avg monthly observed
8.3Pre-pandemic baseline
1.16×Ratio to baseline
Pandemic filings ran near baseline. Tracked under Eviction Lab Eviction Tracking System (Indianapolis, IN).
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in University Heights
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
15.9%Housing insecurity
12.3%Utility shutoff threat
22.9%Food insecurity
14.8%SNAP enrollment
13.3%No health insurance
34.6%Any disability
Frequently asked
About University Heights
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for University Heights?
University Heights scores 4.6/10 (Moderate tier) across 7 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.
Q2
How does University Heights compare to Indianapolis overall?
University Heights scores 0.6 points higher than Indianapolis overall (4/10). Renters spend 59% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $983 vs $1,156.
Q3
What is the average rent in University Heights?
Average gross rent in University Heights is $983/month (pop-weighted across 7 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 59% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of University Heights residents are renters?
50% of University Heights households are renter-occupied (vs 44% in Indianapolis). The neighborhood has 23,737 residents.
Q5
Is University Heights a high social-vulnerability area?
University Heights sits in the 72nd percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in University Heights have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in University Heights is census tract 18097380502 (score 5.4/10). Across the 7 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.6 to 5.4, a spread of 1.8 points.
Q7
How safe is University Heights for landlords?
University Heights carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.6/10). Pop-weighted across 7 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Indianapolis as a whole (4/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of University Heights?
University Heights has 24,139 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (63%), Hispanic / Latino (15.9%), Black (non-Hispanic) (13.8%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
