We happen to think that Oregon is the very best place to live. It’s the most beautiful state in the nation, with the best people. We also feel pretty safe here in The Beaver State, and according to the FBI’s Report of Crime Statistics for 2019 (the latest available data), our state ranks 32nd in the nation for violent crime. It comes as no surprise that Oregon’s larger cities are considered to be more dangerous than their small town brethren, but there are some odd anomalies that defy the stats (often in a good way, as with Beaverton — it’s one of Oregon’s larger towns, but its crime rates are quite low!). The following is a list of the 10 most dangerous places in Oregon to live in, according to the most recent data from the website RoadSnacks.com:
- Ontario
Richard Bauer/Flickr Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon. It lies along the Snake River right at the Idaho border. Ontario’s crime statistics for 2021 are startling: 6,836.3 crimes per 100,000 people, which is 176.02% above the national average.
- Portland
Glenn Dettwiler/Flickr Portland’s the biggest city in the state, so it shouldn’t really come as any surprise that more crimes occur here. This city’s crime rate is 38,058 per 100,000 people, or 132.08% above the national average.
- Warrenton
City of Warrenton, Oregon/Facebook Warrenton is a small, coastal city in Clatsop County that’s noteworthy for being the end of the Oregon Trail. The town is primarily a fishing and logging community, with a population of just over 5,500. Unfortunately, its crime rate is 199.40% above the national average.
- Coos Bay
Visitor7/Wikipedia With a population of over 16,000, Coos Bay is Oregon’s 44th largest city. Its crime rate is also a lofty 113.51% above the national average.
- Astoria
Sam Beebe/Wikipedia Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, Astoria is also noteworthy for its crime rate. With a crime rate of 41 crimes per every 1,000 thousand residents, Astoria has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities.
- Eugene
Chris Phan/Flickr It’s a college town, so chances are decent that there will be shananagans going on. The crime rate in Eugene is 59.91% above the national average, with 3,960.6 crimes reported for every 100,000 people.
- Salem
Doug Kerr/Flickr In the state’s capital, violent crimes and property crimes both rank above the national average.
- Roseburg
Visitor7/Wikipedia With a population fo over 23,000, Roseburg is the largest town in Douglas County, and the 27th largest city in Oregon. With 6,069 crimes per 100,000 people, Roseburg’s crime rate is 145.04% above U.S. average.
- Klamath Falls
Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough/Flickr Klamath Falls has the unfortunate distinction of being fairly high in violent crimes in the state. There are 467.8 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people, more than 27% above national average.
- Woodburn
Hrystiv/Wikimedia Commons Located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley between Portland and Salem, the city of Woodburn’s crime rate is 54.53% the national average.
As we’ve stated above, these statistics for the most dangerous places to live in Oregon can be misleading, especially when considering Oregon’s small towns. Tell us: do you feel safe in your town? Are there any surprises on this list?
Richard Bauer/Flickr
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon. It lies along the Snake River right at the Idaho border. Ontario’s crime statistics for 2021 are startling: 6,836.3 crimes per 100,000 people, which is 176.02% above the national average.
Glenn Dettwiler/Flickr
Portland’s the biggest city in the state, so it shouldn’t really come as any surprise that more crimes occur here. This city’s crime rate is 38,058 per 100,000 people, or 132.08% above the national average.
City of Warrenton, Oregon/Facebook
Warrenton is a small, coastal city in Clatsop County that’s noteworthy for being the end of the Oregon Trail. The town is primarily a fishing and logging community, with a population of just over 5,500. Unfortunately, its crime rate is 199.40% above the national average.
Visitor7/Wikipedia
With a population of over 16,000, Coos Bay is Oregon’s 44th largest city. Its crime rate is also a lofty 113.51% above the national average.
Sam Beebe/Wikipedia
Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, Astoria is also noteworthy for its crime rate. With a crime rate of 41 crimes per every 1,000 thousand residents, Astoria has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities.
Chris Phan/Flickr
It’s a college town, so chances are decent that there will be shananagans going on. The crime rate in Eugene is 59.91% above the national average, with 3,960.6 crimes reported for every 100,000 people.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
In the state’s capital, violent crimes and property crimes both rank above the national average.
With a population fo over 23,000, Roseburg is the largest town in Douglas County, and the 27th largest city in Oregon. With 6,069 crimes per 100,000 people, Roseburg’s crime rate is 145.04% above U.S. average.
Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough/Flickr
Klamath Falls has the unfortunate distinction of being fairly high in violent crimes in the state. There are 467.8 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people, more than 27% above national average.
Hrystiv/Wikimedia Commons
Located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley between Portland and Salem, the city of Woodburn’s crime rate is 54.53% the national average.
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Address: Portland, OR, USAAddress: Warrenton, OR, USAAddress: Coos Bay, OR, USAAddress: Astoria, OR 97103, USAAddress: Eugene, OR, USAAddress: Salem, OR, USAAddress: Roseburg, OR, USAAddress: Klamath Falls, OR, USAAddress: Woodburn, OR 97071, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Dangerous Places To Live In Oregon May 21, 2021 Sarah Is Oregon a dangerous place to live? Don’t be spooked by the statistics above; Oregon really isn’t a dangerous place to live, and ranks quite low overall (32nd in the country, meaning there are 31 states that are more dangerous to live, than Oregon). Like any other state, Oregon isn’t immune to crime and violence, but we feel quite safe here and many people agree, too! The 2019 edition of the Sharecare Well-Being Index recently ranked Oregon as the fifth-best state for a range of big questions, including how safe residents feel, if they have a real sense of purpose in their lives and whether they can manage financial stresses. This is just one study, but our point is, Oregon is a place people want to be, and a wonderful state to live in! Is there a lot of crime in Oregon? Within the larger context of all 50 states, Oregon’s crime rates are relatively low. According to 2018 stats, Oregon ranks the 17th lowest state for murders, the 25th lowest for imprisonment, with Portland having the highest crime rates of all its cities (which makes sense, since it’s the largest city in the state!). One odd phenomenon that has statisticians scratching their heads: Oregon’s property crime rates are quite high, which is unusual in a state with such low violent crime. Where are the safest places to live in Oregon? There are simply so many wonderful places to live in Oregon! Beaverton has actually been hailed as one of the best places to live in the entire country – and we don’t disagree! With just under 100,000 residents, it’s the sixth-largest city in the entire state of Oregon. What makes Beaverton stand out are the well-planned, family-friendly neighborhoods combined with its unforgettable scenery so characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. Yet somehow, Beaverton is a larger city that still manages to have a low crime rate. West Linn is another hidden gem; it’s located in Clackamas County, just south of Portland, and has received countless accolades and recognition as one of the safest places to live in the country!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Dangerous Places To Live In Oregon
May 21, 2021
Sarah
Is Oregon a dangerous place to live? Don’t be spooked by the statistics above; Oregon really isn’t a dangerous place to live, and ranks quite low overall (32nd in the country, meaning there are 31 states that are more dangerous to live, than Oregon). Like any other state, Oregon isn’t immune to crime and violence, but we feel quite safe here and many people agree, too! The 2019 edition of the Sharecare Well-Being Index recently ranked Oregon as the fifth-best state for a range of big questions, including how safe residents feel, if they have a real sense of purpose in their lives and whether they can manage financial stresses. This is just one study, but our point is, Oregon is a place people want to be, and a wonderful state to live in! Is there a lot of crime in Oregon? Within the larger context of all 50 states, Oregon’s crime rates are relatively low. According to 2018 stats, Oregon ranks the 17th lowest state for murders, the 25th lowest for imprisonment, with Portland having the highest crime rates of all its cities (which makes sense, since it’s the largest city in the state!). One odd phenomenon that has statisticians scratching their heads: Oregon’s property crime rates are quite high, which is unusual in a state with such low violent crime. Where are the safest places to live in Oregon? There are simply so many wonderful places to live in Oregon! Beaverton has actually been hailed as one of the best places to live in the entire country – and we don’t disagree! With just under 100,000 residents, it’s the sixth-largest city in the entire state of Oregon. What makes Beaverton stand out are the well-planned, family-friendly neighborhoods combined with its unforgettable scenery so characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. Yet somehow, Beaverton is a larger city that still manages to have a low crime rate. West Linn is another hidden gem; it’s located in Clackamas County, just south of Portland, and has received countless accolades and recognition as one of the safest places to live in the country!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Don’t be spooked by the statistics above; Oregon really isn’t a dangerous place to live, and ranks quite low overall (32nd in the country, meaning there are 31 states that are more dangerous to live, than Oregon). Like any other state, Oregon isn’t immune to crime and violence, but we feel quite safe here and many people agree, too! The 2019 edition of the Sharecare Well-Being Index recently ranked Oregon as the fifth-best state for a range of big questions, including how safe residents feel, if they have a real sense of purpose in their lives and whether they can manage financial stresses. This is just one study, but our point is, Oregon is a place people want to be, and a wonderful state to live in!
Is there a lot of crime in Oregon?
Within the larger context of all 50 states, Oregon’s crime rates are relatively low. According to 2018 stats, Oregon ranks the 17th lowest state for murders, the 25th lowest for imprisonment, with Portland having the highest crime rates of all its cities (which makes sense, since it’s the largest city in the state!). One odd phenomenon that has statisticians scratching their heads: Oregon’s property crime rates are quite high, which is unusual in a state with such low violent crime.
Where are the safest places to live in Oregon?
There are simply so many wonderful places to live in Oregon! Beaverton has actually been hailed as one of the best places to live in the entire country – and we don’t disagree! With just under 100,000 residents, it’s the sixth-largest city in the entire state of Oregon. What makes Beaverton stand out are the well-planned, family-friendly neighborhoods combined with its unforgettable scenery so characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. Yet somehow, Beaverton is a larger city that still manages to have a low crime rate. West Linn is another hidden gem; it’s located in Clackamas County, just south of Portland, and has received countless accolades and recognition as one of the safest places to live in the country!
