The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Oregon

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Oregon For 2024

Located along Snake River on the border of Idaho, Ontario ranks as the most dangerous city in Oregon.

Ontario saw a increase in violent crime and a increase in property crime for last couple of years, which explains why it moved several spots on the list for 2024.

Ontario residents had a 1 in 118 chance of being the victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 16 chance of having their stuff stolen or vandalized over 2022.

Included in those numbers is the 47th highest murder rate, second highest rate of rape cases, and fourth highest rate of burglaries in Oregon.

We 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 second 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 second most violent place in Oregon, with about ten violent crimes going down each day, on average. Property crime isn’t much better, considering the 10,856 stolen cars and 4,790 burglaries recorded in 2022.

All of which is definitely not cool.

Another coastal city, Coos Bay also saw a spike in crime over the past year. The city ranked as the third highest worst in both violent and property crime rates, with some alarming numbers in each category.

Like having the fourth 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.

Medford 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. 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.

Turns 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 4,568 larcenies in 2022. 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 fifth most violent place in Oregon, after all.

Located about an hour south of Eugene, Roseburg ranks as Oregon’s sixth most dangerous place to call home. Despite Roseburg’s #6 position on this list, it actually has the fifth highest overall crime rate in Oregon.

How’s that happen? Well, when property crime is such that 1 in 21 residents is the victim of a theft or vandalization over the course of a year, it inflates your overall crime numbers.

And it’s not like it’s just a few picked pockets and broken windows going down in Roseburg either. The city also reported the fifth highest rate of rape cases in Oregon.

Grants 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 39,519, is experiencing an alarming rise in crime rates. Grants Pass recorded 146 violent crimes, putting it on the 15th highest position for violent crime in Oregon.

Welcome to Astoria, Oregon’s hub of violent crime. A port city located just east of Warrenton, Astoria recorded the sixth highest violent crime rate in Oregon for data year 2022.

Residents had a 1 in 222 shot of being the victim of a violent attack. So look out for criminals when you’re moseying down the Astoria Riverwalk, or you could join that unfortunate group.

Astoria also had the highest rate of rape cases and 11th highest burglary rate statewide — not statistics you want to be associated with your city.

Located between Portland and Salem, Woodburn is slightly safer than either of the big cities. While property crime in Woodburn stayed steady from last year, violent crime fell a bit. At this rate, Woodburn may be off this list by next year.

Still, folks had a 1 in 27 chance of being the victim of a property crime over 2022, so that’s not great.

At least Woodburn residents get to enjoy the local Tulip Festival every year. Just be careful nobody snatches your flowers.

Located in Wasco County, Oregon, The Dalles is the largest city outside the Portland Metropolitan Area along the Columbia River. With a population of 16,100, this inland port has been a trading center for Native Americans as long as 10,000 years ago. However, it has recently been ranked the tenth most dangerous place to live in the state for the year 2024.

The city recorded 58 violent crimes, which include 5 rapes, 19 robberies, and 34 aggravated assaults. Although the city reported no murders, the property crime total stands at a staggering 610, making The Dalles have the 17th highest violent crime rate and 13 in property crime rank in Oregon.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Oregon FAQs