Oregon’s Small Towns Face Higher Crime Rates Than Portland
Discover the Surprising Crime Trends in Oregon’s Smaller Cities
According to the Southwest Journal, Oregon, known as the Beaver State, has the tenth-highest violent crime rate in the country. Surprisingly, its big cities like Portland aren’t the most dangerous. Instead, it’s the smaller towns that have higher crime rates.
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(PHOTO: KTVZ)
Astoria, OR
Astoria, with 41,250 people, is a beautiful coastal city known for its history and tourism. However, it faces a lot of crime problems. The violent crime rate is 2.46 per 1,000 citizens, and the property crime rate is 49.17 per 1,000. Despite efforts like community programs and more police patrols, the city’s weak economy, low income, and high unemployment rate (7.7%) make it hard to reduce crime.
Ontario, OR
Ontario, with a population of 55,444, looks like a charming small town but has high crime rates. The violent crime rate is 3.52 per 1,000 citizens, and the property crime rate is 52.13 per 1,000. Being near the Idaho border might bring in more crime. The town also faces issues like high poverty and low education, making it hard to lower crime despite community policing efforts.
Portland, OR
Portland, the largest city in Oregon with 656,222 people, has its own crime issues. The violent crime rate is 3.65 per 1,000 citizens, and the property crime rate is 26.23 per 1,000. The city tries to fight crime with community policing and social programs, but problems like income inequality, drug use, and homelessness still cause high crime rates. Areas like the Pearl District, once a safe and busy place, now see more caution from people due to rising crime.
Coos Bay, OR
Coos Bay, home to 16,417 people, is dealing with more violent and property crimes. The violent crime rate is 2.24 per 1,000 citizens, and the property crime rate is 32.45 per 1,000. Even with more police visibility and community crime prevention, Coos Bay struggles with drug abuse, leading to more petty crimes.
Eugene, OR
Eugene, known for its arts scene and quality of life, has 177,732 residents. The city is seeing more crime, with a violent crime rate of 2.13 per 1,000 citizens and property crime rate of 41.76 per 1,000. Eugene tries to fight this by increasing police presence and investing in social programs for issues like drug addiction and homelessness. But its large transient population and mental health problems still pose big challenges.
Warrenton, OR
Warrenton, a small city with 5,877 residents, faces significant crime issues. The violent crime rate is 1.39 per 1,000 citizens, and the property crime rate is 15.
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