Moving from Portland, OR to Salem, OR?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Is Portland, OR or Salem, OR Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Salem, OR is safer than Portland, OR (Safety Score 15/100 vs 1/100), with a total crime rate of 3,338 per 100,000 versus 6,247 for Portland, OR — 47% lower. Portland has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where Salem has a 58% lower rate.
Note: Portland is 3.5x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Portland, OR?
Portland — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Salem — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Portland, OR
Salem, OR
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Portland | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 6,246.7 | 3,337.7 | +2,909.0 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 720.5 | 534.5 | +186.0 |
| Murder Rate | 10.8 | 4.5 | +6.3 |
| Rape Rate | 50.9 | 37.1 | +13.8 |
| Robbery Rate | 177.4 | 88.8 | +88.6 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 481.2 | 401.8 | +79.3 |
| Property Crime Rate | 5,526.2 | 2,803.3 | +2,723.0 |
| Burglary Rate | 727.4 | 442.3 | +285.1 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 3,921.3 | 1,965.9 | +1,955.4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 877.6 | 395.1 | +482.5 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from Portland, OR to Salem, OR?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Portland or Salem safer?
Salem, OR is safer with a total crime rate of 3,338 per 100K vs 6,247 for Portland, OR — a 47% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Portland has a violent crime rate of 720.5 per 100K while Salem has 534.5. Salem has lower violent crime.
About Portland, OR
About Salem, OR
Salem, Oregon, the state capital, is bisected by the Willamette River. It's home to Willamette University, the oldest university in the Western United States, and boasts a population of over 180,000 residents. With a safety score of 15/100 and a population coverage of 177,936, Salem has a total crime rate of 3,337.7 per 100,000 residents.