Klamath Falls, Oregon is currently ranking as one of the safest cities in Oregon. With abundant outdoor recreation, an up-and-coming downtown, and lots of charm, this mid-size community has a higher safety score than both Redmond and Eugene according to SafeHome in a recent list of Oregon's Safest Cities. Similarly, a recent list from Safewise ranked Klamath Falls safer than the much more populated and contentious Portland area and right below popular Eugene, Oregon that has a much higher population. Klamath Falls is actually safer now than ever before with award-winning community efforts and proven practices in place.

Klamath Falls Safety & Crime Rate

Similar to the entire state, property-related crime is higher than violent crime occurrences in Klamath Falls. The majority of crimes committed in Klamath Falls are property-related and recent reports show are declining in frequency. Many crime rates and safety reports refer directly to rates that are calculated from FBI crime data with no other characterization of the community implied or intended. The cities are identified within a population threshold. This means that Klamath Falls, with just over 20,000 residents, is pulled into rankings with metropolitan areas with a much higher population, using the same formula variables.

Healthy Klamath works closely with community officials and safety officers to support efforts to make Klamath Falls a safer place. With projects such as Safe Routes to Parks, Safe Routes to Schools, and city initiatives to address blight in low-income neighborhoods, Klamath Falls is celebrating a recent decrease in crime. As proof of this downward trend, community pride, as measured by the Gallup-ShareCare Well-Being Index has increased by 15% over a 3-year period of time, proving that those who call Klamath Falls home are also feeling the positive momentum occurring in our community.

Healthy Klamath Promising Practices to the Community

Healthy Klamath is a coalition comprised of dedicated community members and agencies working across sectors to improve the health of our community, which includes the safety of its residents. The intent of our non-biased tools, data and local resources bring a wealth of information to help understand the indicators that affect the quality of our residents' life. Our promising practices help inform both professionals and community members improve community health and quality of life with the goal to support systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. These practices directly influence the safety of our community.

Why Klamath Falls is a Desirable Place to Live

With its rural, but convenient location and local initiatives promoting a healthy community, Klamath Falls is a desirable, safe, and good place to live. The community was chosen to participate as the first Blue Zones Project® demonstration site in Oregon, and was recently awarded as the first certified Blue Zones Community® in the Pacific Northwest. Beginning in 2015, the community of Klamath Falls began implementing evidence-based practices to improve the well-being of the city and achieve certification status. This includes grant funding that supports tobacco cessation, reduction in tobacco litter downtown, city ordinances for smoke-free city parks and events, as well as increased participation in programs that promote residents to build friendships and move naturally. Fifty-seven organizations have shown their support for Blue Zones Project by adopting best practices to help further the efforts of the community and become Blue Zones Project Approved^TM.

In recent years, the community has received additional awards identifying the efforts of cross-sector relationships to make Klamath Falls a wonderful place to live, work, learn, and play. In 2018, the community was awarded the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize, acknowledging the collaborative work of the community to embody well-being and address social determinants of health. In addition, in fall 2020, Oregon Main Street announced Klamath Falls and the Klamath Falls Downtown Association for the “Excellence in Downtown Revitalization” Outstanding Partnership award. The award recognized Klamath Falls efforts to work day-in and day-out to revitalize Oregon’s historic downtowns.

Not only are organizations such as Klamath Falls Downtown Association and Blue Zones Project-Healthy Klamath working hard to improve the quality of life for those who live here, we are also blessed to have abundant outdoor recreation. Being in a less populated area means less people to compete with when enjoying the great outdoors.

Having a tight-knit community with positive goals and real efforts in place make Klamath Falls a safe and desirable place to live. With nearly 300 days of sunshine, beautify outdoor spaces, a collaborative spirit, easy commutes to work, and centrally located for weekend getaways to Portland, the Bay Area, or Reno/Tahoe, this community is sure to see a continued positive trajectory, and increased development in years to come.