Have you ever wondered what parts of Oregon are the most dangerous? While the Beaver State is generally considered to be a pretty safe place to live, crime happens almost everywhere. We have compiled a list of some of Oregon’s most crime-ridden towns and cities with populations over 10,000 (in no particular order, really, but still). Our list is based on the latest FBI Crime Report data (2019), so if you’re curious about the method, give it a look! What are some of the most dangerous places in Oregon that surprised you the most?

  1. Astoria, Oregon

Doug Kerr/Flickr In 2019, the town of Astoria, which has just over 10,000 residents, saw 75 violent crimes, nine rapes, 11 robberies, and 55 aggravated assaults. There were 336 property crimes that year as well.

  1. Ontario, Oregon

Flickr/Roadsidepictures While Ontario is one of the smaller areas on this list, it had 82 violent crimes, and a whopping 673 property crimes - which doesn’t sound like a huge amount, but given the town’s population of just over 11,000, that comes out to quite a bit.

  1. Newport, Oregon

Flickr/Jennifer This historic seaside town may be charming, but it earned the third spot on this list. In 2019 there were 37 violent crimes and 279 property crimes.

  1. Portland, Oregon

Flickr/Thomas Hawk It probably comes as no surprise to see Portland on this list, but it’s not #1 - instead, thanks to its large population, it’s #4. In 2019 there were 3,606 violent crimes and 34,452 property crimes reported in this city.

  1. Grants Pass, Oregon

Flickr/Nicolas Vigier Located in the heart of beautiful southern Oregon, Grants Pass is a quaint and historic town. Unfortunately, it had 121 violent crimes and 1,235 property crimes in 2019. There were also 24 reports of rape.

  1. Coos Bay, Oregon

Flickr/Curtis Cronn With more than 15,000 residents, Coos Bay is the largest city on the Oregon Coast. In 2019 there were 76 violent crimes, 20 rapes, and 795 property crimes.

  1. Gresham, Oregon

Wikimedia/City of Gresham Gresham, a city of 110,692, comes in at #7 with 490 violent crimes and 3,442 property crimes in 2019.

  1. Roseburg, Oregon

Wikimedia/Visitor7 The picturesque Roseburg may look peaceful on the outside, but the crime statistics paint a different picture. The town had 78 violent crimes in 2019, which included 18 rapes, 40 aggravated assaults, and 20 robberies - but thankfully, no murders.

  1. Lebanon, Oregon

Flickr/Barb Henry While there were no murders in Lebanon in 2019, there were 11 reports of rape, four reports of arson, and 18 aggravated assaults. With 372 reports of property crime compared to the small population, Lebanon ranks amongst the most dangerous places in the state.

  1. Springfield, Oregon

Flickr/David Geitgey Sierralupe Considering that Springfield has a population of 63,400, its crime statistics are fairly alarming. In 2019 there was one murder, 34 rapes, 32 robberies, and 123 aggravated assaults.

  1. Salem, Oregon

Flickr/Edmund Garman In 2019 Oregon’s capital city had 670 violent crimes reported, including 35 rapes and 483 aggravated assaults. With a population of just over 175,000, this adds up.

  1. Klamath Falls, Oregon

Flickr/Wendell While Klamath Falls falls a bit later on this list at number 12, it still manages to pack a punch. In 2019, this town of 22,447 had 18 rapes, 68 aggravated assaults, and 1 murder.

  1. Eugene, Oregon

Flickr/Bruce Fingerhood Rounding out the top 13 dangerous places in Oregon is Eugene. This city saw 675 violent crimes in 2019, including two murders, 123 reports of rape, and 180 robberies.

Were you surprised to see any of these places on the list? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Doug Kerr/Flickr

In 2019, the town of Astoria, which has just over 10,000 residents, saw 75 violent crimes, nine rapes, 11 robberies, and 55 aggravated assaults. There were 336 property crimes that year as well.

Flickr/Roadsidepictures

While Ontario is one of the smaller areas on this list, it had 82 violent crimes, and a whopping 673 property crimes - which doesn’t sound like a huge amount, but given the town’s population of just over 11,000, that comes out to quite a bit.

Flickr/Jennifer

This historic seaside town may be charming, but it earned the third spot on this list. In 2019 there were 37 violent crimes and 279 property crimes.

Flickr/Thomas Hawk

It probably comes as no surprise to see Portland on this list, but it’s not #1 - instead, thanks to its large population, it’s #4. In 2019 there were 3,606 violent crimes and 34,452 property crimes reported in this city.

Flickr/Nicolas Vigier

Located in the heart of beautiful southern Oregon, Grants Pass is a quaint and historic town. Unfortunately, it had 121 violent crimes and 1,235 property crimes in 2019. There were also 24 reports of rape.

Flickr/Curtis Cronn

With more than 15,000 residents, Coos Bay is the largest city on the Oregon Coast. In 2019 there were 76 violent crimes, 20 rapes, and 795 property crimes.

Wikimedia/City of Gresham

Gresham, a city of 110,692, comes in at #7 with 490 violent crimes and 3,442 property crimes in 2019.

Wikimedia/Visitor7

The picturesque Roseburg may look peaceful on the outside, but the crime statistics paint a different picture. The town had 78 violent crimes in 2019, which included 18 rapes, 40 aggravated assaults, and 20 robberies - but thankfully, no murders.

Flickr/Barb Henry

While there were no murders in Lebanon in 2019, there were 11 reports of rape, four reports of arson, and 18 aggravated assaults. With 372 reports of property crime compared to the small population, Lebanon ranks amongst the most dangerous places in the state.

Flickr/David Geitgey Sierralupe

Considering that Springfield has a population of 63,400, its crime statistics are fairly alarming. In 2019 there was one murder, 34 rapes, 32 robberies, and 123 aggravated assaults.

Flickr/Edmund Garman

In 2019 Oregon’s capital city had 670 violent crimes reported, including 35 rapes and 483 aggravated assaults. With a population of just over 175,000, this adds up.

Flickr/Wendell

While Klamath Falls falls a bit later on this list at number 12, it still manages to pack a punch. In 2019, this town of 22,447 had 18 rapes, 68 aggravated assaults, and 1 murder.

Flickr/Bruce Fingerhood

Rounding out the top 13 dangerous places in Oregon is Eugene. This city saw 675 violent crimes in 2019, including two murders, 123 reports of rape, and 180 robberies.

If you need a bit of a breather after this list, be sure to check out our article on the 10 Safest And Most Peaceful Places To Live In Oregon.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Most Dangerous Places in Oregon August 08, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the most dangerous towns in Oregon?   Ah, Oregon, land of amazing places and natural wonders galore. Unfortunately, for as idyllic as the state is, Oregon is not without its bad apples. Like most places, there are cities and towns in Oregon that you might need to exercise extra caution while visiting; it’s a mixture of small towns in Oregon and bigger cities that tend to make the lists. Some of the most dangerous towns in Oregon at the time of this writing include Ontario (which has a crime rate 174% higher than the national average), Warrenton (which has a crime rate almost 200% higher than the national average), and Coos Bay (which has a crime rate 125% higher than the national average). Of course, Portland is in there, too, with a crime rate 124% higher than the national average.   What is life in Oregon like?   Life in Oregon is really nice, honestly, no matter where you choose to put down roots. There are some amazing state parks in Oregon to check out, as well as breathtaking Oregon waterfalls, and endless ideas when it comes to epic road trips in Oregon, too. Portland is a blast, and the whole state seems to have an adorable strangeness to it that we can’t get enough of. Winters can be chilly, but not overly frigid. Summers are warm and pleasant, with lots of rain and plenty of natural wonders to check out. The possibilities are almost endless – no matter what the statistics say, Oregon is a place worth visiting (and living in).   Where are some dangerous places to avoid in Oregon?  We don’t think you should avoid any places in Oregon outright – just use caution and common-sense safety measures (and maybe visit during the day) and you ought to be a-okay. The five small towns in Oregon (and big cities in Oregon) we mentioned above are the top five most dangerous places in Oregon when it comes to crime, but there are more. Other dangerous areas of Oregon (relatively speaking) include Lincoln City, Medford, Roseburg, Eugene, Astoria, and Salem.   

The OIYS Visitor Center

Most Dangerous Places in Oregon

August 08, 2022

Tori Jane

What are some of the most dangerous towns in Oregon?   Ah, Oregon, land of amazing places and natural wonders galore. Unfortunately, for as idyllic as the state is, Oregon is not without its bad apples. Like most places, there are cities and towns in Oregon that you might need to exercise extra caution while visiting; it’s a mixture of small towns in Oregon and bigger cities that tend to make the lists. Some of the most dangerous towns in Oregon at the time of this writing include Ontario (which has a crime rate 174% higher than the national average), Warrenton (which has a crime rate almost 200% higher than the national average), and Coos Bay (which has a crime rate 125% higher than the national average). Of course, Portland is in there, too, with a crime rate 124% higher than the national average.   What is life in Oregon like?   Life in Oregon is really nice, honestly, no matter where you choose to put down roots. There are some amazing state parks in Oregon to check out, as well as breathtaking Oregon waterfalls, and endless ideas when it comes to epic road trips in Oregon, too. Portland is a blast, and the whole state seems to have an adorable strangeness to it that we can’t get enough of. Winters can be chilly, but not overly frigid. Summers are warm and pleasant, with lots of rain and plenty of natural wonders to check out. The possibilities are almost endless – no matter what the statistics say, Oregon is a place worth visiting (and living in).   Where are some dangerous places to avoid in Oregon?  We don’t think you should avoid any places in Oregon outright – just use caution and common-sense safety measures (and maybe visit during the day) and you ought to be a-okay. The five small towns in Oregon (and big cities in Oregon) we mentioned above are the top five most dangerous places in Oregon when it comes to crime, but there are more. Other dangerous areas of Oregon (relatively speaking) include Lincoln City, Medford, Roseburg, Eugene, Astoria, and Salem.   

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Ah, Oregon, land of amazing places and natural wonders galore. Unfortunately, for as idyllic as the state is, Oregon is not without its bad apples. Like most places, there are cities and towns in Oregon that you might need to exercise extra caution while visiting; it’s a mixture of small towns in Oregon and bigger cities that tend to make the lists. Some of the most dangerous towns in Oregon at the time of this writing include Ontario (which has a crime rate 174% higher than the national average), Warrenton (which has a crime rate almost 200% higher than the national average), and Coos Bay (which has a crime rate 125% higher than the national average). Of course, Portland is in there, too, with a crime rate 124% higher than the national average.  

What is life in Oregon like?  

Life in Oregon is really nice, honestly, no matter where you choose to put down roots. There are some amazing state parks in Oregon to check out, as well as breathtaking Oregon waterfalls, and endless ideas when it comes to epic road trips in Oregon, too. Portland is a blast, and the whole state seems to have an adorable strangeness to it that we can’t get enough of. Winters can be chilly, but not overly frigid. Summers are warm and pleasant, with lots of rain and plenty of natural wonders to check out. The possibilities are almost endless – no matter what the statistics say, Oregon is a place worth visiting (and living in).  

Where are some dangerous places to avoid in Oregon? 

We don’t think you should avoid any places in Oregon outright – just use caution and common-sense safety measures (and maybe visit during the day) and you ought to be a-okay. The five small towns in Oregon (and big cities in Oregon) we mentioned above are the top five most dangerous places in Oregon when it comes to crime, but there are more. Other dangerous areas of Oregon (relatively speaking) include Lincoln City, Medford, Roseburg, Eugene, Astoria, and Salem.