In our humble opinion, Oregon is 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, our state ranks 32nd in the nation for violent crime, so there are a few dangerous places in Oregon. The FBI’s data ranked Oregon cities based on their populations versus the number of crimes reported and included both violent and property crimes in its rankings. Here are the seven most dangerous cities in Oregon:

1. Ontario
Ontario, OR 97914, USA
City of Ontario Government, Oregon/Facebook
Ontario residents typically don't lose a lot of sleep worrying about crime, but during 2019, Ontario residents had a 1 in 134 chance of being the victim of a violent crime, and a 1 in 16 chance of being the victim of a robbery or burglary.

Enjoy this driving tour of Ontario :

2. Portland
Portland, OR, USA
Westend61/Getty Images
Portland is by far Oregon's largest city, with a population of 662,114 in 2019. During that year, there were 544 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents. While the rate of violent crimes might be concerning, Portland residents should be more worried about property crimes. 6,432 cars were stolen that year and there were 4,200 burglaries as well.

Check out these things to do in Portland :

3. Warrenton
Warrenton, OR, USA
tfoxfoto/iStock/via Getty Images
With only 5,772 people living in the small coastal town of Warrenton, even a little bit of criminal activity can place it on a list like this. There were 363 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2019, and 7,051 property crimes as well. However, this little city has recently experienced a slight drop in crime, so things are definitely looking up.

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4. Coos Bay
Coos Bay, OR, USA
Che Dean (Tuxramus)/Google
Coos Bay is a small town with a population of 16,471 people. It has, unfortunately, seen a steady climb in crime over the years. There were 461 violent crimes per 100,000 residents and 4,826 property crimes per 100,000 as well. This town records about a burglary a day, which is a lot, given the small population.

Check out this amazing footage of Coos Bay :

5. Astoria
Astoria, OR 97103, USA
massmatt/Flickr
Astoria is, for lack of better words, a hub of violent crime in Oregon. With a population of just over 10,000 people, there were 747 violent crimes per 100,000 residents and 3,346 property crimes per 100,000. Residents here have about a 1 in 133 chance of being the victim of a violent assault.
6. Eugene
Eugene, OR, USA
NACTO/Flickr
The city of Eugene had 173,183 residents in 2019, and it was moved up the list from 18 to number six this year. There were 389 violent crimes reported, and residents reported 3570 property crimes per 100,000 people.
7. Salem
Salem, OR, USA
aimintang/E+ Collection/via Getty Images
Oregon's second-largest city comes in 7th on the list of dangerous cities. During 2019, there were 380 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. With 3,689 property crimes reported, it's smart to keep your vehicle and home locked to deter theft.

As we’ve stated above, these statistics can be misleading, especially when considering Oregon’s small towns. Overall, Oregon has a rate of 285.5 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 residents, which is well below the national average of 380.6 per 100,000.

Do you feel safe in your city? Tell us in the comments! Next, check out the safest cities in Oregon.

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More to Explore

Most Dangerous Cities in Oregon

Tori Jane | January 01, 2022

What are the safest places in Oregon?  

The safest places in Oregon include:

  • West Linn
  • Sherwood
  • Lake Oswego

Oregon is a gorgeous state with a relatively low crime rate; it ranks as the 35th-safest place in the United States, which puts it at just about average. Of course, some towns are safer than others, and it’s interesting to put each into perspective. As of 2021, the safest places in Oregon are the towns of West Linn, Sherwood, and Lake Oswego; each of these towns has a remarkably low – almost non-existent – rate of both violent and property crimes. Other super-safe places to call home include Monmouth, Newburg-Dundee, and Canby. For more details about each of these towns and the others that make up the top ten list of safest places in Oregon, check this article out; it goes into some detail about each town and what makes it such a safe place to live. Now, obviously, due to population statistics, the smaller towns tend to have much higher safety ratings than the larger cities, but don’t let that scare you away – the vast majority of cities and towns all over Oregon are truly wonderful places to live, work, and call home.  

What are some natural dangerous places to avoid in Oregon?  

Natural dangerous places in Oregon include:

  • Hiking trails
  • Roads with lots of wildlife nearby

Oregon is an amazing state for sure, but it’s not without its risky pitfalls. There are all sorts of things out there that can (and might) kill you, especially within the natural world. For example, you’ll want to be careful during hot days on many of our amazing trails – folks die every year after underestimating the potential of summer heat to kill! You can also run into some dangerous critters, too, like cougars, bears, and even wolverines if you’re in the right (or should we say wrong?) place at the right (wrong?) time! People also die every year after hitting deer and/or elk with their cars. Like we said already – for the most part, Oregon is a safe place to be, but some things are just plain dangerous, too.  

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