One of the most common questions I get on this website is “what are the safest cities in Oregon to live in?” I’ve lived in Oregon my whole life and can completely understand the allure of the place.
Most folks have noticed a change in the tide these past 2-3 years with many people moving out of larger cities to smaller towns. Personally speaking, I still find myself very content living in Portland but yes, between the housing costs and challenges of city living, I can understand why folks make the move.
So I dove headfirst into stats galore to conjure up a list of the safest cities to live in Oregon. This list uses metrics like property crime and violent crime in relation to the population size. I also tossed in stats on median incomes and home prices to help paint a fuller picture.
Without further ado, let’s cover this list of the safest cities in Oregon.
Editor’s Note: Longtime readers know the drill — the fun lives in the comments! Agree with the list? Disagree? Let folks know in the comments below (it helps other locals out). Cheers!
Safest Cities in Oregon
#10. Keizer
- Population: 40,000
- Median home price: $430K
- Median income: $65K
- Property crime incidents: 22 per 1,000 residents
- Violent crime incidents: 2.1 per 1,000 residents
Keizer is often ranked as one of the safest cities in Oregon, which is part of the big draw, but the history of this city is equally fascinating.
Originally founded as a planned community in the 1950s when the building of dam prevented floods from destroying the city. Before the dams were built, the city suffered major flood devastation practically every other year! Now the town is flourishing and doesn’t show signs of slowing anytime soon.
For some reason the City of Salem has tried to annex Keizer into its city limits a handful of times (starting in 1964). Several stubborn residents, chief among them a married couple (Janet and Richard Bauer), convinced residents that they should start their own city.
Then, on one fateful November day in 1982, the residents voted to make Keizer a city. The end result? One of the safest cities to live in Oregon.
#9. Silverton
- Population: 11,000
- Median home price: $610K
- Median income: $64K
- Property crime incidents: 20 per 1,000 people
- Violent crime incidents: 1.1 per 1,000 people
Silverton is no stranger to the limelight. Known for being the gateway to Silver Creek Falls State Park, this is not only one of the safest cities in Oregon, but also one of the most charming.
The historic and quaint downtown core is largely to thank. Exuding irresistible small town vibes, the abounding nature encompassing the city is striking.
While visiting, take a slow stroll through the downtown area. Featuring beautiful Victorian-era homes, small shops selling local crafts and interesting galleries – you can easily spend a slow afternoon taking it all in.
If you’re into gardens, don’t sleep on the Oregon Garden. A stunning botanic garden featuring a collection of 20 gardens with a plethora of walking trails.
#8. Bend
- Population: 103,000
- Median home price: $675K (ouch!)
- Median income: $66K
- Property crime incidents: 21 per 1,000 residents
- Violent crime incidents: 1.7 per 1,000 residents
Folks can’t get enough of Bend, one of the safest Oregon cities. But don’t just take my word for it, according to WalletHut, Bend was the second-fastest growing city in America in 2020.
Bend is best know for two things: epic outdoor recreation and top-notch breweries, plus, there’s always something fun to do in Bend. Many locals (myself included) consider Bend one of the best cities in the state especially for nature lovers.
The fact that Bend is also one of the safest cities in Oregon is mere icing on the cake. But back to the epic nature. Nature is in your backyard, you can’t escape it if you tried while living in Bend.
From fragrant ponderosa pine forests to some of the most striking mountains in the cascade range, the hiking possibility are endless. (If interested, my husband and I spent a year hiking every trail in the area and came up with a list of 20 Jaw-Dropping Hikes in Bend).
#7. Lebanon
- Population: 17,700
- Median home price: $410K
- Median income: $46K
- Property crime incidents: 21 per 1,000 residents
- Violent crime incidents: 1.7 per 1,000 residents
A city built around the thriving timber industry, Lebanon attract self-sufficient locals who prefer the rewarding satisfaction of growing what they eat (over going to Costco). It’s located smack dab between Salem and Eugene, yet many folks pass on through.
What would happen if they stopped for a while? They’d find a small town rated as one of the safest places in Oregon. Admittedly, the town has a very sleepy vibe. Full of farmland (famous for their strawberries!), this safe Oregon town serves as a gateway to the Willamette Valley.
#6. Milwaukie
- Population: 21,040
- Median home price: $500K
- Median income: $62K
- Property crime incidents: 14.8 per 1,000 residents
- Violent crime incidents: 1.7 per 1,000 residents
Named after Wisconsin’s Milwaukee, Milwuakie (Oregon) is a diverse community and located 7 miles south of Portland. Officially, it’s considered a suburb of Portland, but unofficially — the city has a feel all its own.
You might be asking what gives with the spelling, yeah?
Well, the theory goes: when this Oregon town was founded in 1847, Wisconsin’s city was often spelled “Milwuakie” before an official spelling was adopted. Others claim Oregon’s city was internationally spelled differently to avoid any confusion (and yet we find ourselves here today).
Those dusty naming details are secondary to the coolest thing about Milwaukie, Oregon — this is the birthplace of the Bing cherry!
Read it an weep, my friends.
The Bing cherry is the most produced variety of sweet cherry in the country. And to think it all started in Milwaukie, one of Oregon’s safest cities. I guess if you don’t have to worry about crime rates you can focus on more on producing some of the best cherries around.
#5. Independence
- Population: 10,500
- Median home price: $394K
- Median income: $54K
If the name is any indication, Independence, Oregon is not to be trifled with. A safe Oregon town steeped in rich, history, non-negotiable pride and access to the Willamette River.
It’s that very access to the river that served as the basis for the establishment of this town. The area was first settled by pioneers (from Independence, Missouri) in 1847. This little town thrived as a shipping point for agriculture and lumber until the 1950s.
It may be sleepy and small, but it’s charming too. And one of the safest towns in Oregon, to boot. Hard not to love that.
#4. Lake Oswego
- Population: 40,200
- Median home price: $785K
- Median income: $110K
- Property crime incidents: 13.4 per 1,000 people
- Violent crime incidents: 0.5 per 1,000 people
Located just south of Portland, Lake Oswego has long been know as one of the safest places to live in Oregon. The area is known for affluence and a posh way of life, which has given this safe Oregon city a rather unfortunate reputation as being snobby.
But I wouldn’t take that to heart. Lake Oswego’s reputation as one of the safest Oregon cities is well earned. Both property and violent crimes are well below the state and national averages, which is why many families find this area attractive.
#3. Monmouth
- Population: 10,700
- Median home price: $470K
- Median income: $40K
- Property crime: 13.8 per 1,000 people
- Violent crime incidents: 1.2 per 1,000 people
Home to Western Oregon University, Monmouth is a vibrant community offering a mix of residents (from college students to retirees). Everything seems to be running pretty smoothly in this part of the state, as Monmouth often lands on any list of the safest cities in Oregon.
There’s ample outdoor recreation like hiking, biking, fishing and rafting that makes it easy to get to know new people. But the biggest sense of community can be attributed to the never-ending list of fun events hosted in the town.
Most notably the Monmouth Music Festival and the charming 4th of July Celebration.
#2. Sherwood
- Population: 20,100
- Median home price: $585K
- Median income:$104K
- Property crime incidents: 11 per 1,000 people
- Violent crime incidents: 0.6 per 1,000 people
An idyllic little town with a population of 20,100, Sherwood is often ranked as one of the safest cities in Oregon. Found just outside of Portland, the area is home to a charming historic downtown core buzzing with lifelong locals during warm summer weekends.
The biggest draw of this safe Oregon town is its proximity to the breathtaking Willamette Valley. The area is renowned for producing award-winning Pinot noirs that have gone on to win awards on a global scale.
Not into wine? Not problem. Sherwood is located two hours from Mt. Hood and the Oregon Coast. Being one of the cities with the lowest crimes rates in Oregon, coupled with access to the great outdoors makes Sherwood a great place to live.
#1. West Linn
- Population: 30,000
- Median home price: $680K
- Median income: $112K
- Property crime incidents: 8.7 per 1,000 people
- Violent crime incidents: 0.9 per 1,000 people
West Linn Oregon is a 30-minute drive southeast of Portland, Oregon. The city has seen massive growth in the past 10 years with many residents moving further from the city for more affordable homes and a more relaxed way of living.
With median home prices clocking in at $680K, it’s a stretch to call West Linn affordable. However, the area is attractive because it’s one of the safest cities in Oregon.
West Linn boasts some of the lowest property crimes in Oregon, not to mention the very low violent crime rates. For perspective, the state’s average violent crime rate is 3.6 per 1,000 residents. All this to say, West Linn is definitely one of the safest places to live in Oregon.
List of the Safest Cities in Oregon (Post Overview)
In sum, here’s a quick roundup of the safest cities in Oregon, hope you enjoyed!
- West Linn
- Sherwood
- Monmouth
- Lake Oswego
- Independence
- Milwaukie
- Lebanon
- Bend
- Silverton
- Keizer
You forgot eastern oregon. The safest place in oregon.
Hey Luis, I’ll be visiting Easter Oregon this summer, which towns do you recommend?
Eastern Oregon, John Day! Don’t forget Mitchell!
The problem, and where credibility of the survey wanes, is that all the Portland suburbs listed may be statistically ok but the connect to Portland. The toxic, unsafe, cesspool Portland has INDISPUTABLY become taints the metro region. Recommending places that you have to live in a bubble is not right. Also, those places are a heartbeat away from disaster. Be honest with people
Michael Fesser might disagree with West Linn’s selection in the #1 slot based on his experiences:
https://projects.oregonlive.com/michael-fesser/
There’s a whole other side to Oregon east of the Cascades, ya know! Check out towns like Baker City, LaGrande, John Day, Joseph. These places are largely ignored and often make Eastern and Western Oregon feel like two different states entirely.
Baker City (10k pop, 28.71 property, 1.77 violent)
La grande (13k pop, 23.41 property, 2.58 violent)
Not quite top 10. John Day and Joseph are too small to be on the FBI reporting.