Pendleton, OR Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Pendleton, OR Crime & Safety

Is Pendleton, OR safe?

Pendleton earns an overall crime grade of B, which places it in a moderately safe category relative to similarly sized Oregon cities. When the city's six analyzed neighborhoods are broken down, exactly 50% earn safe grades of A or B+ — those are Meacham (A), Cayuse (B+), and Kirkpatrick (B+). The other 50% land in the D+ range, including Gopher Flats, Tutuilla, and Mission. That split means safety in Pendleton is highly neighborhood-dependent. Residents in the B+ corridors of Cayuse and Kirkpatrick — both with median household incomes above $69,000 — report a noticeably quieter environment than those in Tutuilla, which carries the city's lowest individual grade at D+. Checking the interactive crime map before choosing where to live or visit is strongly recommended.

What is the crime rate in Pendleton, OR?

Pendleton's city-wide safety rating is Moderate (C), though the overall crime grade of B reflects some positive offsetting factors. Among the six neighborhoods studied, 16.7% hold an A grade (Meacham), 33.3% hold a B grade (Cayuse and Kirkpatrick), and 50% hold a D grade (Gopher Flats, Tutuilla, and Mission — all at D+). No neighborhoods scored an F, which is a meaningful data point. The city's 9.3% unemployment rate and 14.4% poverty rate are contextual factors that correlate with elevated crime risk in lower-graded neighborhoods like Mission (median income ~$45,152) and Tutuilla (median income ~$45,225), compared to safer areas like Cayuse (median income ~$70,956). Property crimes such as theft and vehicle break-ins account for the most frequently reported incident types citywide.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Pendleton, OR?

Based on 2026 crime data, the three safest neighborhoods in Pendleton are:

• Meacham — Grade A: The highest-rated neighborhood in the city, with a median household income of $66,667. Its very small population and rural character contribute to minimal crime activity.
• Cayuse — Grade B+: A small community with a median income of $70,956 — the highest of any analyzed neighborhood — and consistently low crime indicators.
• Kirkpatrick — Grade B+: With a median income of $69,018 and a population of just 21, Kirkpatrick mirrors Cayuse's profile as a quiet, lower-risk area.

Combined, these three neighborhoods represent 50% of analyzed areas earning a safe A or B grade. If you are evaluating where to live in Pendleton, these communities offer the most favorable safety profiles based on current data.

Which Pendleton neighborhoods have the highest crime?

Three of Pendleton's six analyzed neighborhoods are graded D+, making them the higher-crime areas to be aware of:

• Tutuilla — Grade D+, population 636, median income ~$45,225. As the most populous of the three D+ neighborhoods, Tutuilla sees the broadest range of reported incidents and is flagged as the area of greatest concern on the crime map.
• Mission — Grade D+, population 242, median income ~$45,152. Shares a similar socioeconomic profile with Tutuilla and records comparable crime frequency relative to its size.
• Gopher Flats — Grade D+, population 71, median income ~$45,135. The smallest of the three by population, but its D+ grade indicates a disproportionately elevated crime rate for its size.

All three D+ neighborhoods share median incomes roughly 35% below the safer B+ neighborhoods, illustrating the strong income-safety correlation present in Pendleton's neighborhood data.

Is Pendleton a good place to live in 2026?

Pendleton presents a mixed but workable picture for prospective residents in 2026. On the positive side, the city's median home value of $193,217 and median rent of $802/month make it one of the more affordable small cities in Oregon. The overall crime grade of B is respectable, and half the city's neighborhoods — including Cayuse and Kirkpatrick — rate B+ or better. On the challenging side, an unemployment rate of 9.3% (well above the national average) and a 14.4% poverty rate create economic pressures that are reflected in the D+ grades across Tutuilla, Mission, and Gopher Flats. Families prioritizing safety should target the northern and outlying neighborhoods with A and B+ grades, while those on tighter budgets should use the crime map to identify the safest blocks within higher-risk zip codes. Pendleton's strong community identity — anchored by events like the Pendleton Round-Up — adds quality-of-life value that raw crime statistics alone don't capture.

How does Pendleton's crime compare to other Oregon cities?

With an overall crime grade of B and a city-wide safety rating of Moderate (C), Pendleton sits in the middle tier among Oregon municipalities of comparable size. Its population density of 562 people per square mile is relatively low, which typically correlates with lower violent crime rates compared to denser urban areas. The fact that 0% of Pendleton's neighborhoods earn an F grade is a positive differentiator — many similarly sized cities with higher poverty and unemployment rates see at least one neighborhood fall into failing territory. The 50% combined A+B neighborhood rate is competitive, though the equally weighted 50% in D territory keeps Pendleton from achieving a higher city-wide safety tier. Visitors and relocators coming from larger Oregon metros may find Pendleton's overall safety profile comparable or slightly better on a per-capita basis.