The 10 Safest Cities In Oregon For 2023
The safest cities in Oregon are Talent and Philomath for 2023.
We just determined the safest places in Oregon to call home for the sixth time. Yep, the sixth time.
This was one of the first articles we ever wrote on this site, so it brings back some good memories.
But enough about us; you're here to learn about the safest cities in Oregon, and that's what we're going to do -- take a look at the property and violent crime rates of the biggest places to live around Oregon. And just like the total lack of sales tax in Oregon, the numbers you see here are directly from the FBI's crime data for 70 Oregon cities with a population of more than 5,000 without any unexpected changes at the cash register.
And we won't sugarcoat the results. There is no fake news or added ingredients, just organic, grass-fed data. And while other sites might think they can give you good stuff, remember that we at HomeSnacks are the hipsters of ranking cities -- doing it since before it was fantastic.
Just don't expect to see Portland on the list; while it's fantastic and weird, it's the Portland suburbs that are safe.
Here are the 10 safest cities to live in Oregon for 2023:
- Talent (Photos)
- Philomath (Photos)
- West Linn (Photos)
- Monmouth (Photos)
- Eagle Point (Photos)
- Molalla (Photos)
- Milwaukie (Photos)
- Lake Oswego (Photos)
- Central Point (Photos)
- Independence (Photos)
What's the safest place to live in Oregon? According to the most recent FBI data, Talent ranks as the safest place in Oregon on a property and violent crime rate basis.
So buckle up your seat belt, look both ways, and follow along as we show you how we determined the safest cities in Oregon, and then take a detailed drive through the top ten.
For more reading on safe places to live in and around Oregon, check out:
- Safest States In America
- Safest Cities In America
- Best Places To Live In Oregon
- Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon
Table Of Contents
The 10 Safest Cities In Oregon For 2023
/10
Population: 6,767
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 88 (fourth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 930 (safest)
More on Talent: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
/10
Population: 5,742
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 69 (second safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,010 (fourth safest)
More on Philomath: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
/10
Population: 26,908
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 70 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,259 (13th safest)
More on West Linn: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
West Linn is an affluent suburb of Portland that has a penchant for safety.
You don't have to worry about purse-snatchers in Mary S. Young Park, because West Linn has the 13th safest rate of property crime in Oregon. And the city averaged only two violent crimes per month in 2021. Be warned, though; the city ranked as the third richest in Oregon in 2019, so you'll want to be making big bucks to enjoy the safe streets of West Linn.
/10
Population: 10,728
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 121 (tenth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,053 (sixth safest)
More on Monmouth: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
Monmouth is monumentally safe, at least when it comes to places to live in Oregon.
The city had a seventh place finish for both property and violent crimes which drove it up seven spots from last year. Is that a coincidence? Probably, but it would be more exciting if it was some higher level cause.
One of the first places not located right on border of the water or Washington state, Monmouth is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The thing to do in town to stay safe? Grab a glass of wine from one of the many vineyards.
/10
Population: 9,782
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 122 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,144 (11th safest)
More on Eagle Point: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
/10
Population: 9,383
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 149 (18th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,033 (fifth safest)
More on Molalla: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
Molalla comes in as the sixth safest city in Oregon overall, with the 18th safest rate of violent crime in the state. Molalla had five times less violent crime than the national average, which works out to about one violent crime every other month. So you don't need Batman watching over you when you're strolling through Feyrer Park.
Molalla is just 45 minutes south of Portland.
/10
Population: 21,094
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 132 (14th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,118 (tenth safest)
More on Milwaukie: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
/10
Population: 40,138
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 89 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,579 (22nd safest)
More on Lake Oswego: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
A suburb of Portland, Lake Oswego is no stranger to our lists. In addition to moving up on our ranking of the safest places to live in Oregon to number one this year, it also ranked as the best place to live in Oregon for 2018.
But there's a slight catch to living a place this awesome -- cost. It's one of the richest cities in Oregon which translates to a median income close to $90,000 and median home prices around $500,000.
Another possible reason it has the second lowest violent crime rate in the state? Clackamas County is secretly how to Kris Kringle. I dunno, just saying.
/10
Population: 19,313
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 113 (eighth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,532 (19th safest)
More on Central Point: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
/10
Population: 11,129
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 134 (15th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,338 (15th safest)
More on Independence: Homes For Sale | Data | Detailed Crime Report
A part of the Salem Metro Area, Independence jumped up 14 spots from last year's ranking to earn the title of tenth safest city in the state.
Independence had the 15th safest lowest rate of both property and violent crime in Oregon in 2021. So when you're going for a walk along the Willamette River in Riverview Park, you can leave the mace at home.
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Oregon for 2023
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Oregon are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in Oregon.
Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
- Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
- Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)
For example, there were 69 crimes committed in Talent, with a reported population of 6,767. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0102, which translates into a 1 in 98 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Oregon cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 70 of the biggest cities in Oregon to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 70 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score "The Safest Place In Oregon," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Oregon, based on our criteria, is Talent. The most dangerous city in Oregon? Ontario, where residents had a 1 in 15 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2023. This report marks our sixth time ranking the safest places to live in Oregon. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2021 report.
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Beaver State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Talent is as safe as they come in Oregon, according to science and data.
But as most Oregon residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Oregon according to the data:
- Ontario
- Portland
- Coos Bay
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Oregon
- Best Places To Buy A House In Oregon
- Best Places To Retire In Oregon
Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In Oregon For 2023?
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talent, OR | 6,767 | 88 | 930 |
| 2 | Philomath, OR | 5,742 | 69 | 1,010 |
| 3 | West Linn, OR | 26,908 | 70 | 1,259 |
| 4 | Monmouth, OR | 10,728 | 121 | 1,053 |
| 5 | Eagle Point, OR | 9,782 | 122 | 1,144 |
| 6 | Molalla, OR | 9,383 | 149 | 1,033 |
| 7 | Milwaukie, OR | 21,094 | 132 | 1,118 |
| 8 | Lake Oswego, OR | 40,138 | 89 | 1,579 |
| 9 | Central Point, OR | 19,313 | 113 | 1,532 |
| 10 | Independence, OR | 11,129 | 134 | 1,338 |
| 11 | Silverton, OR | 10,764 | 111 | 1,774 |
| 12 | Sherwood, OR | 19,882 | 115 | 1,684 |
| 13 | Canby, OR | 18,161 | 203 | 1,057 |
| 14 | Umatilla, OR | 7,366 | 203 | 1,194 |
| 15 | Bend, OR | 104,833 | 173 | 1,553 |
| 16 | Lebanon, OR | 17,772 | 180 | 1,530 |
| 17 | Newberg-Dundee, OR | 24,168 | 206 | 1,381 |
| 18 | Cottage Grove, OR | 10,606 | 264 | 971 |
| 19 | Winston, OR | 5,558 | 125 | 2,123 |
| 20 | North Bend, OR | 9,751 | 112 | 2,430 |
| 21 | Florence, OR | 9,285 | 21 | 2,681 |
| 22 | Junction City, OR | 6,303 | 174 | 2,062 |
| 23 | Brookings, OR | 6,583 | 319 | 957 |
| 24 | Albany, OR | 56,746 | 174 | 2,278 |
| 25 | Scappoose, OR | 7,715 | 233 | 1,542 |
| 26 | Milton-Freewater, OR | 7,050 | 283 | 1,092 |
| 27 | Tillamook, OR | 5,480 | 145 | 2,500 |
| 28 | Keizer, OR | 39,913 | 233 | 1,763 |
| 29 | Oregon City, OR | 38,602 | 225 | 1,800 |
| 30 | St. Helens, OR | 14,178 | 282 | 1,269 |
| 31 | Mcminnville, OR | 35,498 | 236 | 1,983 |
| 32 | Stayton, OR | 8,314 | 180 | 2,489 |
| 33 | Dallas, OR | 17,630 | 215 | 2,422 |
| 34 | Prineville, OR | 11,541 | 346 | 1,100 |
| 35 | Hillsboro, OR | 113,053 | 242 | 2,004 |
| 36 | Forest Grove, OR | 25,890 | 293 | 1,467 |
| 37 | Baker City, OR | 9,882 | 161 | 2,934 |
| 38 | Redmond, OR | 35,230 | 221 | 2,455 |
| 39 | Gladstone, OR | 12,506 | 255 | 2,158 |
| 40 | Beaverton, OR | 99,886 | 249 | 2,361 |
| 41 | Ashland, OR | 21,308 | 225 | 2,538 |
| 42 | La Grande, OR | 13,431 | 253 | 2,293 |
| 43 | Cornelius, OR | 13,241 | 332 | 1,631 |
| 44 | Hood River, OR | 7,848 | 127 | 4,013 |
| 45 | Madras, OR | 7,140 | 140 | 4,103 |
| 46 | Seaside, OR | 6,938 | 331 | 1,989 |
| 47 | Pendleton, OR | 16,804 | 220 | 3,177 |
| 48 | Springfield, OR | 63,599 | 283 | 2,603 |
| 49 | Corvallis, OR | 59,585 | 218 | 3,683 |
| 50 | Tigard, OR | 56,914 | 274 | 2,714 |
| 51 | Hermiston, OR | 17,898 | 273 | 2,832 |
| 52 | Tualatin, OR | 27,617 | 271 | 3,295 |
| 53 | The Dalles, OR | 15,643 | 268 | 3,547 |
| 54 | Sutherlin, OR | 8,267 | 411 | 2,612 |
| 55 | Sweet Home, OR | 10,136 | 315 | 3,068 |
| 56 | Grants Pass, OR | 38,672 | 336 | 3,017 |
| 57 | Medford, OR | 84,297 | 326 | 3,211 |
| 58 | Warrenton, OR | 5,815 | 275 | 3,903 |
| 59 | Woodburn, OR | 26,386 | 420 | 2,975 |
| 60 | Gresham, OR | 110,448 | 452 | 2,949 |
| 61 | Astoria, OR | 10,086 | 604 | 2,944 |
| 62 | Newport, OR | 11,247 | 391 | 3,236 |
| 63 | Eugene, OR | 175,007 | 407 | 3,701 |
| 64 | Klamath Falls, OR | 22,960 | 736 | 3,022 |
| 65 | Salem, OR | 178,106 | 457 | 3,597 |
| 66 | Lincoln City, OR | 9,391 | 745 | 3,162 |
| 67 | Roseburg, OR | 23,564 | 424 | 5,075 |
| 68 | Coos Bay, OR | 16,378 | 500 | 4,438 |
| 69 | Portland, OR | 664,350 | 720 | 5,576 |
| 70 | Ontario, OR | 10,952 | 657 | 5,788 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Oregon
About Chris Kolmar
Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.
He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.
If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.
You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.
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