68% of Portlanders say Portland is declining, 56% would consider moving if they could

A new poll conducted by DHM Research on behalf of the Portland Police Association has found that a majority of those currently living in Oregon's largest city would leave if they had the chance.

The results come amid rising crime and years of social unrest spurred on largely by far-left groups and clashes with their far-right counterparts.

According to the poll, which was conducted among 500 voters between Dec. 3 and 7, a full 56 percent of respondents said they'd leave the city if they could "afford it professionally and personally."

When asked their opinion on how things were going, residents were not optimistic. Only 21 percent said "Portland is good and its best days are ahead of us," whereas 68 percent said "Portland is losing what made it special."

Over three-quarters of respondents, 78 percent, said that they felt as though crime had increased in Portland over the past few years, with 74 percent saying they were either "somewhat concerned" or "very concerned" that they, or members of their families, would be victims of criminal activity.

An overwhelming majority, 87 percent, expressed a belief that public safety in Portland was not at a satisfactory level, and 71 percent said the situation would be improved with more police officers, nearly ten times more than those arguing less law enforcement was the answer.

Over 70 percent said more should be done to "add more officers on the street, strengthen police training, and incentivize officers to live in Portland."

Over the past few years, the city has experienced an exodus. Census data showed that between July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022 alone, 8,308 people fled Portland. That period of time came right after the Black Lives Matter riots, which saw the city reduced to a battleground for 100 straight days.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Portland had experienced 15 straight years of growth in population.