Do you think that you live in one of the most dangerous cities in Oregon? Before you lock your doors and grab your taser, we suggest you look at our report of the most dangerous places in Oregon for 2026.
We consulted the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime statistics to determine where crime rates are high in Oregon. We analyzed 66 cities with over 5,000 residents. We discovered that Oregon’s most dangerous cities’ violent and property crime numbers, while not the worst in the country, could be better.
And while Oregon might not be one of the top ten most dangerous states in the country, the state’s most dangerous places do need some work.
Not sold on Oregon? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
720 violent crimes /100k · 5,526 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Washington County, OregonWe all know Portland has a lot of avant-garde hipsters and various disciples of American counter-culture, but the biggest city in Oregon also has the worst crime numbers in the state.
With all the gardens and parks around, you might think Portland’s a peaceful place, but anyone who watches the news knows otherwise.
Portland is the most violent place in Oregon, with about ten violent crimes going down each day, on average. Property crime isn’t much better, considering the 5,468 stolen cars and 4,532 burglaries recorded in 2024.
All of which is definitely not cool.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
627 violent crimes /100k · 4,461 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Coos County, OregonAnother coastal city, Coos Bay also saw a spike in crime over the past year. The city ranked as the second highest worst in both violent and property crime rates, with some alarming numbers in each category.
Like having the 15th highest rate of rape cases in Oregon by a pretty significant margin. And recording a burglary about every other day, on average, which is enough for the highest burglary rate statewide as well.
At least residents can find a bit of sanctuary at Shore Acres State Park — just bring a friend if you think you’ll be out after dark.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
492 violent crimes /100k · 3,832 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Jackson County, OregonMedford gets its name from a town in Massachusetts, located about 3,000 miles across the country. Built in the southern part of the state, near the California border, this Medford sits along I-5 — the main north-south artery through the state.
The city has always been something of a stopover. It was originally a railroad town (a tradition you can check out at the local Medford Railroad Park). Maybe some of that history lingers on — at least the part related to railroad bandits. The residents endure a surprisingly high crime rate, including large numbers of larcenies and robberies.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
384 violent crimes /100k · 4,484 property crimes /100k · #11 most violent in Oregon
A coastal city located in the northwestern part of Oregon, Warrenton comes in as the state’s fourth least safe place.
Warrenton jumped up a few spots on this list from last year, and that’s mostly because of a recent rise in property crime. Warrenton had the second highest property crime rate in Oregon, with residents facing a 1 in 22 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged over 2024.
This means you should probably always lock your car, even if you’re just parked next to your campsite at Fort Stevens State Park.
On the bright side, Warrenton’s violent crime numbers fell slightly, so there’s hope for change here.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
532 violent crimes /100k · 2,803 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Polk County, OregonTurns out that Oregon’s capital city is also the fifth most dangerous place in the state.
Salem might be one place where wearing a wallet chain is actually a good idea, seeing as there were 3,498 larcenies in 2024. And while violent crime has been decreasing in Salem, property crime went up from last year.
Still, watch your back in any poorly lit areas of Salem’s parks of night — it’s still the third most violent place in Oregon, after all.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
484 violent crimes /100k · 2,688 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Klamath County, OregonWe’re taking our first trip down to south-central Oregon to reach its sixth most dangerous city, Klamath Falls.
Klamath Falls had the 12th highest burglary rate in Oregon for 2024. At least nobody has tried to pull a heist on the Klamath County Museum yet.
Violent crime is the bigger problem in Klamath Falls, though. Residents had a 1 in 206 chance of being attacked over the year. That includes the second highest murder rate and tenth highest rate of rape cases in Oregon.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
404 violent crimes /100k · 2,904 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Josephine County, OregonGrants Pass, the county seat of Josephine County in Oregon, is notably becoming one of the state’s most dangerous cities. Located northwest of Medford along the Rogue River, this city, with a population of 39,113, is experiencing an alarming rise in crime rates. Grants Pass recorded 158 violent crimes, putting it on the tenth highest position for violent crime in Oregon.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
409 violent crimes /100k · 2,681 property crimes /100k · #9 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Umatilla County, OregonPendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Developed along the Umatilla River, Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for vice-president in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census, which includes approximately 1,600 inmates incarcerated at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. The city is the county seat of Umatilla County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
318 violent crimes /100k · 3,256 property crimes /100k · #19 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Lane County, OregonEugene has the highest number of homeless people per capita in America, so it’s not exactly shocking that the city has to deal with high crime rates as well.
It’s just good protocol to keep a close eye on your stuff when you’re walking along the Willamette River Trail, or you might join the 5,797 victims of property crime Eugene had in 2024.
Additionally, Eugene averaged one aggravated assault each day, so if you’re not trying to get some free boxing lessons, do your best to avoid rowdy pugilists here.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
318 violent crimes /100k · 3,225 property crimes /100k · #18 most violent in Oregon
Located in
Umatilla County, OregonHermiston is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population of 17,985 makes it the largest city in Eastern Oregon. Hermiston is the largest, and fastest-growing, city in the Hermiston-Pendleton Micropolitan Statistical Area, the eighth largest Core Based Statistical Area in Oregon with a combined population of 87,062 at the 2010 census. Hermiston sits near the junction of I-82 and I-84, & is 7 miles south of the Columbia River, Lake Wallula, and the McNary Dam. The Hermiston area has become a transportation and logistics hub due to the proximity of the I-82 and I-84 interchange, and central location between the major Pacific Northwest metropolitan areas. The city is also known for its watermelons, which are part of its branding.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Oregon’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Oregon
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Oregon for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Oregon. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Oregon, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Oregon.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Oregon cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 66 cities in Oregon.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 66 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Oregon — Portland. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Oregon and is updated for 2026. Property crime in Oregon runs about 36 percent above the national rate — worth a minute to compare home security systems before you sign a lease.
The full plate
Crime By City In Oregon
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | 1.00 | 623,066 | 6,246 | 720 | 5,526 | 67 |
| 2 | Coos Bay | 2.50 | 15,469 | 5,088 | 627 | 4,461 | 1 |
| 3 | Medford | 4.50 | 84,766 | 4,324 | 492 | 3,832 | 3 |
| 4 | Warrenton | 6.50 | 6,245 | 4,868 | 384 | 4,484 | 0 |
| 5 | Salem | 8.00 | 177,936 | 3,335 | 532 | 2,803 | 8 |
| 6 | Klamath Falls | 10.50 | 21,911 | 3,172 | 484 | 2,688 | 3 |
| 7 | Grants Pass | 10.50 | 39,113 | 3,308 | 404 | 2,904 | 1 |
| 8 | Pendleton | 12.50 | 17,380 | 3,090 | 409 | 2,681 | 0 |
| 9 | Eugene | 13.50 | 178,057 | 3,574 | 318 | 3,256 | 2 |
| 10 | Hermiston | 14.00 | 19,504 | 3,543 | 318 | 3,225 | 2 |
| 11 | Tigard | 14.00 | 55,784 | 3,781 | 317 | 3,463 | 0 |
| 12 | Madras | 16.50 | 7,830 | 2,797 | 434 | 2,363 | 0 |
| 13 | Gresham | 16.50 | 109,452 | 2,837 | 410 | 2,427 | 6 |
| 14 | The Dalles | 17.00 | 15,712 | 2,928 | 369 | 2,559 | 1 |
| 15 | Beaverton | 17.00 | 96,762 | 3,026 | 365 | 2,661 | 1 |
| 16 | Springfield | 18.00 | 60,830 | 3,097 | 306 | 2,791 | 1 |
| 17 | Lincoln City | 19.00 | 10,061 | 2,445 | 497 | 1,948 | 1 |
| 18 | Woodburn | 19.00 | 30,138 | 3,169 | 275 | 2,893 | 0 |
| 19 | Tillamook | 20.00 | 5,187 | 2,718 | 366 | 2,352 | 0 |
| 20 | Seaside | 21.00 | 7,161 | 4,008 | 223 | 3,784 | 0 |
| 21 | Hillsboro | 22.00 | 107,978 | 2,747 | 318 | 2,429 | 0 |
| 22 | Roseburg | 23.00 | 23,922 | 3,984 | 217 | 3,766 | 1 |
| 23 | La Grande | 25.00 | 12,963 | 2,924 | 255 | 2,669 | 0 |
| 24 | Newport | 25.50 | 10,553 | 2,919 | 246 | 2,672 | 1 |
| 25 | Stayton | 28.00 | 8,222 | 2,262 | 292 | 1,970 | 0 |
| 26 | Astoria | 29.50 | 9,918 | 1,956 | 323 | 1,633 | 2 |
| 27 | Cornelius | 29.50 | 15,792 | 1,925 | 323 | 1,602 | 0 |
| 28 | Tualatin | 29.50 | 27,219 | 2,844 | 220 | 2,623 | 0 |
| 29 | North Bend | 30.50 | 9,970 | 3,390 | 160 | 3,230 | 0 |
| 30 | Cottage Grove | 30.50 | 10,627 | 2,230 | 273 | 1,957 | 1 |
| 31 | Dallas | 30.50 | 17,869 | 2,345 | 263 | 2,082 | 1 |
| 32 | Sutherlin | 32.00 | 8,692 | 1,933 | 299 | 1,634 | 0 |
| 33 | Forest Grove | 32.00 | 26,992 | 1,704 | 337 | 1,367 | 0 |
| 34 | Sweet Home | 33.00 | 10,325 | 2,847 | 174 | 2,673 | 1 |
| 35 | Redmond | 33.50 | 38,159 | 2,563 | 218 | 2,345 | 1 |
| 36 | Ashland | 35.50 | 20,949 | 2,019 | 253 | 1,766 | 0 |
| 37 | Corvallis | 35.50 | 61,474 | 2,695 | 184 | 2,512 | 1 |
| 38 | Milton-Freewater | 39.50 | 6,920 | 1,994 | 217 | 1,777 | 0 |
| 39 | Albany | 41.00 | 57,179 | 2,027 | 196 | 1,831 | 0 |
| 40 | Independence | 41.50 | 10,337 | 1,238 | 281 | 958 | 0 |
| 41 | McMinnville | 42.00 | 34,443 | 1,655 | 226 | 1,428 | 0 |
| 42 | Gladstone | 43.00 | 11,810 | 1,871 | 195 | 1,677 | 1 |
| 43 | Oregon City | 43.00 | 37,213 | 1,556 | 231 | 1,325 | 0 |
| 44 | Hood River | 43.50 | 8,340 | 2,398 | 132 | 2,266 | 0 |
| 45 | St. Helens | 43.50 | 14,616 | 1,197 | 274 | 924 | 0 |
| 46 | Eagle Point | 44.00 | 9,869 | 1,773 | 203 | 1,571 | 0 |
| 47 | Keizer | 44.00 | 38,310 | 2,057 | 146 | 1,911 | 0 |
| 48 | Talent | 45.50 | 6,339 | 1,088 | 268 | 820 | 0 |
| 49 | Milwaukie | 46.00 | 21,745 | 1,720 | 193 | 1,527 | 0 |
| 50 | Florence | 46.50 | 9,468 | 2,218 | 84 | 2,134 | 0 |
| 51 | Winston | 48.50 | 5,692 | 1,985 | 88 | 1,897 | 0 |
| 52 | Umatilla | 49.00 | 7,884 | 1,192 | 216 | 977 | 1 |
| 53 | Prineville | 49.50 | 12,047 | 971 | 241 | 730 | 0 |
| 54 | Bend | 50.50 | 106,241 | 1,530 | 168 | 1,362 | 3 |
| 55 | Canby | 52.00 | 17,861 | 1,114 | 213 | 901 | 0 |
| 56 | Sherwood | 52.50 | 19,804 | 1,651 | 131 | 1,520 | 0 |
| 57 | Central Point | 53.50 | 19,199 | 1,146 | 172 | 974 | 1 |
| 58 | Brookings | 54.00 | 6,643 | 1,460 | 135 | 1,325 | 0 |
| 59 | Lebanon | 54.50 | 20,144 | 1,196 | 144 | 1,052 | 0 |
| 60 | Newberg-Dundee | 54.50 | 26,302 | 1,156 | 144 | 1,011 | 0 |
| 61 | Sandy | 56.00 | 13,042 | 1,580 | 61 | 1,518 | 0 |
| 62 | Monmouth | 58.00 | 11,311 | 1,079 | 133 | 946 | 0 |
| 63 | Lake Oswego | 58.50 | 39,627 | 1,166 | 66 | 1,100 | 1 |
| 64 | Philomath | 62.50 | 5,846 | 889 | 86 | 804 | 0 |
| 65 | Molalla | 63.00 | 10,057 | 825 | 129 | 696 | 0 |
| 66 | West Linn | 65.00 | 26,382 | 834 | 57 | 777 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 66 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Oregon
So what is the most dangerous city in Oregon? After analyzing 66 cities in Oregon, Portland takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Oregon based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Portland ranks as the most dangerous city in Oregon for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Oregon are Portland, Coos Bay, Medford, Warrenton, Salem, Klamath Falls, Grants Pass, Pendleton, Eugene, and Hermiston.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Portland and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Wondering how Portland stacks up against a bigger name? See Portland, OR vs. Denver, CO side by side.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Oregon FAQs
Is Oregon a dangerous state?
No, Oregon is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #30 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Oregon ranks 36th most dangerous in the United States — 21.07% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Beaver State ranks seventh most dangerous in the United States — 36.05% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Portland, OR a dangerous city?
Yes, Portland is a dangerous city. Portland ranks as the #9 most dangerous out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Portland might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Alameda is the safest in Portland, while Sunderland is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Portland ranks 79th highest in America — 35.7% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks eighth highest in the United States — 131.77% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
