PHOENIX — Eviction filings in Maricopa County for February are the highest in over two decades, but the data does not tell the whole story.
Eviction filings in the Valley of the Sun have been increasing since the end of the Great Recession in 2009, according to data from the Maricopa County Justice Courts. The data indicates this year is on track to meet or surpass filings from those years.
In the first two months of the year, the justice court reports 12,851 new eviction case filings.
A rise of 32% compared to the first two months of last year, and about the same number of filings for the same time in 2007 and 2008.
This past February, there were 5,280 new eviction filings, the highest of any February since 2000.
Accounting for Maricopa’s status as one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation changes the context around the numbers. With a 50% increase in population since 2000, the per capita eviction filing rate in February is only slightly above the average and ranks 10th of 23 years.
Justice court data shows case filings are not evenly spread out across the Valley. Courts on the west side top the list with higher volumes. The Kyrene district topped the list of justice courts with 400 new filings followed by Manistee, Maryvale, Moon Valley, and Encanto.
Average judgments in eviction cases are on the rise as well. In 2000, once an eviction case was finalized the average judgment was $953. Today the average is $3,214.
Much of the increase came in more recent years with average judgments rising 63% since 2019.
A spokesperson for Maricopa County Justice Courts said while the rise is partly due to increased rents Valleywide, cases had a range of monthly delinquencies that impacts the average judgment figures as well.
