The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Salem, OR: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	C-
Property Crime Grade	F
Other Crime Grade	F

Which crimes are included?

$118.6 million

Cost of Crime™ for Salem, OR

In 2025, crime will cost $1,516 per household.

More cost data

Crime Grade's crime map highlights the safest areas in Salem in green, the most dangerous in red, and moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted based on both the type and severity of the crime. For more information on how to interpret our crime maps, see the Interpreting the Crime Maps section below.

Is Salem, OR Safe?

The F grade indicates that the rate of crime is much higher than that of the average US city. Salem ranks in the 6th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 6% of cities but less safe than 94%. This analysis applies only to Salem's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby cities.

The crime rate in Salem is 56.89 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. Salem Residents generally consider the northwest part of the city to be the safest. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Salem varies by neighborhood - ranging from 1 in 7 in the central neighborhoods to 1 in 43 in the northwest.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the northeast parts of Salem, OR see the most incidents - about 2,530 per year. In contrast, the northwest part of the city has the fewest, with approximately 494 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in Salem, OR

The total projected cost of crime in Salem for 2025 is $118,575,772. This translates to approximately $583 per resident and $1,516 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 1.5% of the median household income in Salem. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 63.9%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 25.1%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 11.0%

How Much Does Crime Cost in Salem Compared to Other Cities?

Salem, OR:	$583
Tualatin, OR:	$986
Monmouth, OR:	$245
Oregon:	$550
USA:	$464

The Cost of Crime per resident in Salem is $583 per year, which is $118 more than the national average and $32 more than Oregon's state average. Below we compare cities similar to Salem:

In Tualatin, OR, crime costs $986 per person, which is $403 more than in Salem.
In Monmouth, OR, crime costs $245 per person, which is $337 less than in Salem

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of Salem for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to Salem	Cost per Salem Resident
Murder	$17.7 million	$87
Rape/Sexual Assault	$8.65 million	$42
Robbery	$3.26 million	$16
Assault	$13.8 million	$68
Kidnapping	$1.69 million	$8
Vehicle Theft	$9.24 million	$45
Burglary	$6.47 million	$32
Theft	$29.4 million	$144
Arson	$1.09 million	$5
Vandalism	$23.9 million	$117
Animal Cruelty	$122,410	$1
Drug Crimes	$752,128	$4
Identity Theft	$2.54 million	$12
Total Cost of Crime	$118,575,772	$583

The Intangible Cost of Crime in Salem, OR

CrimeGrade primarily focuses on tangible costs, but the true impact of crime extends beyond economic. Pain and suffering for victims and their families are difficult to quantify, but research-based methodologies help estimate these effects. Using these methodologies, we calculate that the intangible cost of crime in Salem totals $163,790,107 ($805 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $282,365,878 ($1,387 per resident). All Cost of Crime facts are based on scholarly research done on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

When interpreting the Salem crime map, keep in mind that crime rates are measured per resident. Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather - even if few residents live there. For example, the central part of the city has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate crime rates in that area. Red areas on the map do not necessarily mean a neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which Salem has 24, have the same problem. Of Salem’s 203,562 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Crime occurs where people gather, whether they live there or not. Before assuming an area is unsafe, consider both per-capita crime rates and total crime counts, as well as the types of destinations nearby.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in Salem, OR at ISP Reports.

Salem Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 Salem residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	2.367
Robbery	0.5094
Rape	0.7004
Murder	0.0462
Total Violent Crime	3.623 (C-)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	27.84
Vehicle Theft	2.932
Burglary	3.506
Arson	0.2222
Total Property Crime	34.50 (F)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.1369
Drug Crimes	0.4995
Vandalism	16.44
Identity Theft	1.612
Animal Cruelty	0.0813
Total "Other" Rate	18.77 (F)

Individual Salem Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of crime in Salem is higher. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to Salem.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Four Corners, OR	D-	C	D-
Hayesville, OR	D-	C	D-
Keizer, OR	D	C	D-
Eola, OR	C	C	C-
Labish Village, OR	A-	B-	B-
Shaw, OR	A+	B-	A
Wheatland, OR	C	D+	C-
Crowley, OR	C+	C	C-
Pratum, OR	B-	B-	C
Turner, OR	B-	B+	C+

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

Salem is higher versus other cities of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in cities with comparable overall population in the city‘s boundaries.

Similar City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Fort Mill, SC	D+	B-	B-
Covina, CA	C-	C	C
Deerfield Beach, FL	B-	C	C
Dublin, OH	B	A-	A-
Dundalk, MD	F	D-	D-
Daly City, CA	C	C-	C-
Decatur, GA	D	D	D
Decatur, IL	C-	C	C
Eagan, MN	C	B+	B+
Denton, TX	C-	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, Salem is less safe than the Oregon state average and less safe than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in Salem, OR average SchoolGrade of C+, with 40% actual proficiency versus 35% projected; overall, schools exceed expectations. See Salem schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.