Portland local Jessica Spiegel shares her top tips for staying safe in her hometown. We explain where to avoid shady areas, prevent crime, and what to do if you encounter it. Generally, visitors to Portland will feel safe and will not feel uncomfortable, except possibly being burned if they come too close to The Unipiper’s fire-spewing bagpipes. Alternatively, you may feel slightly out of place due to hipster overload.
If you’re wondering if locals have seen the comedy series Portlandia, the answer is yes, most have seen a few episodes, but they don’t use it as a common language. Insinuations that Portlanders are anything like the show’s characters can annoy some Portlanders. Therefore, don’t tell anyone if you think someone reminds you of a character from Portlandia.
Is Portland, Oregon safe?
It’s no secret that moving to a new city can be challenging, exciting, and downright terrifying. The act of uprooting yourself and your family can expose vulnerabilities you thought you had buried as deep as you could. It can be frightening to move into a new, unfamiliar place, but not unknown.
The city of Portland, Oregon, is safe. What about bad neighborhoods? Yeah, there are some bad neighborhoods. Because Portland is a city, it isn’t always just about the roses in the City of Roses. Crime in Portland, Oregon, in 2019 is around 5000 different crimes per month, and most of them are petty crimes. This is a meager crime rate for a city this size. There are some incredible places in Downtown Portland, Westside Portland, and the inner East Side of Portland that make up most of the Portland metro area.
What to avoid in Portland when it comes to crime?
Most of the time, Portland is a safe city, but that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. You should not leave your itching in a locked car in plain view and expect it to stay there. Smash-and-grab thefts occur even in busy areas of the city, so lock your car doors and don’t leave anything visible in your car.
It’s not uncommon for bikes to be stolen. Ensure you are provided adequate locks by the rental company (and follow their locking instructions) when renting a bike. There is also a lot of bike culture here, resulting in bike-motorist confrontations when a cyclist thinks a driver has overstepped their lanes. Attention drivers, pay attention to the big (and sometimes painted green) bike lanes.
Like many other cities on the west coast, Portland has a homelessness problem. Usually, this means holding your breath while walking past an especially odiferous encampment in Old Town or hearing a nonsensical conversation on the train. There are times, however, when those situations escalate.
Here are some areas you may want to avoid:
- Hazelwood around the Gateway Transit Center (city with the highest violent crime rate).
- Known locally as ‘Felony Flats,’ this area stretches roughly from Duke to Johnson between 70th and 80th streets.
- West Burnside downtown (there are homeless shelters and camps near the bridge; it’s iffier at night).
Parking police in Portland don’t slack off, so don’t expect to get away with overstaying your parking meter by a few minutes. It’s not a good idea to pull into that no-parking zone for just a few seconds while you grab a latte.
Top 3 safest neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon, to live in
The Sabin.
Sabin is an up-and-coming neighborhood on Portland’s inner Southeast side. This neighborhood is among the best in Portland Metro for getting the most equity from your property. The area is surrounded by the best districts in Southeast Portland, such as Alberta Arts, Alameda, Irvington, and Hollywood, and you’re nearby NoPo (North Portland). Mississippi Ave is nearby, so you are within walking distance of downtown. Sabin is a great place to live because you’re right in the middle of everything.
In Irvington, the neighborhood next door to Sabin, you will mostly find multi-million dollar homes, but here you will find homes starting at $400,000.
The Homestead
Homestead takes the eighth spot. This is a neighborhood we’ll be visiting quite a few times in this list of the nine safest places to live in Portland, Oregon. The Homestead is located near the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) campus, in a quiet and rarely discussed part of Portland. There is also Lincoln High School nearby, one of the top high schools in Portland. Additionally, the school district is among the very best in and around the city.
Homestead is merely minutes away from downtown Portland, and one of the best things about this area is that some of Portland’s best parks surround it. There are three parks: Marquam Park, Terwilliger Park, and Duniway Park. This would be a great place to live if you like nature and greenery. Homestead’s streets aren’t cookie-cutter in any way but winding hilly roads littered with towering old-growth trees. This unique area offers easy access to nature and a variety of nightlife.
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The Grant Park.
Grant Park is number seven on the list. The Sabin neighborhood will be a little more expensive for a house in this neighborhood, although it’s located in a similar area. It can be challenging to find a property in Grant Park due to its high demand. It’s a charming neighborhood. Nearby Irvington and the Alberta Arts district are also popular neighborhoods. It’s a beautiful neighborhood in Northeast Portland.
The Grant Park neighborhood is close to I-84 and the Hollywood district, which is in the heart of Portland, so you can get anywhere you need to go, and you are only minutes from downtown. Living in Grant Park puts you near some old-growth trees and vibrant neighborhoods. Ulysses S Grant High School, another top high school in Portland, is also located. The school is currently undergoing a complete renovation in 2020, and the plans show that it will be just spectacular when completed.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Portland, Oregon, is it safe to visit?
Portland is a safe city for tourists. As with any metropolitan destination, visitors to Portland should use the same caution they would in any other city. Portland generally experiences slightly lower violent crime rates than most cities its size.
- Which parts of Portland are safe?
Northwest District, One of the most populated and safest neighborhoods in Portland. The crime rate here is 60% lower than the Portland average. Suitable for: Local shopping destinations, easy access to downtown Portland.
- Is Portland an expensive city to live in?
Absolutely. Portland is 34% more expensive than the national average. Portland’s housing is 84.3% more expensive than the national average, and the only thing cheaper is the city’s utilities, which are 12.8% more affordable.
