The Geography of Eviction: A Data-Driven Reporting Project on Eviction Disparities in Urban and Rural North Carolina Counties

This journalism project examines how the eviction process plays out across North Carolina's urban and rural counties. Through analysis of statewide court data, observation in multiple county courtrooms, and interviews with tenants, Legal Aid attorneys and housing advocates, the project documents differences in eviction outcomes across the state. The reporting finds that urban counties see higher eviction filing rates, while rural counties see higher rates of evictions granted and lower rates of settlements and voluntary dismissals. Legal Aid attorneys and housing program managers point to differences in access to legal resources and eviction diversion programs as contributing factors. The project pairs these findings with the story of one Warren County tenant navigating the rural eviction process. Together, the data and narrative reporting explore how local court systems, operating under the same legal framework, can produce outcomes that vary depending on where a tenant's case is heard.