Town file
Colton, Oregon
Colton, Oregon is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 454, "Crazy Is As Crazy Does" (30 December 2023). Colton, Oregon, is a rural town of 3,392 people about fifty minutes outside Portland, in the north-western part of the state.
- Town
- Colton
- State
- Oregon
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 454
- Approximate location
- 45.172, -122.438
Episode 454 / 30 December 2023 / 71 min / express
Crazy Is As Crazy Does
"This is Culton, Oregon, COLTON, Culton, Oregon... northwestern Oregon, about 50 minutes outside of Portland." about 0:03:46
The case: Murder of Tina Webb (Mother's Day, about May 15th, 2017). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2023
- Population
- 3,392
- Median household income
- $86,250
- Median home value
- $602,100
- People released from Psychiatric Security Review Board supervision who commit another crime
- 35%
History, in brief
- It is a historically Swedish town, settled by Swedish loggers when logging began in the area. about 0:05:09
- There are about half a dozen churches in town and zero taverns or bars. about 0:05:34
- The nearest tavern is four miles outside town. about 0:05:45
- There is only one grocery store and it is not in Colton; it is in the next town about ten miles away. about 0:05:52
- The old family rural farms have largely become big Christmas tree farms, and Christmas trees are now a big local crop. about 0:06:03
- Only downtown Colton has public water; the rest of the town relies on wells, which are known for clean, cold water. about 0:06:15
- Goat Mountain is a local butte about four thousand feet high. about 0:06:42
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Growing up in Estacada the reviewer could not wait to get out and felt trapped, but after moving back realised the vast evergreen prison was home; small talk is common, life is slower, neighbours wave and everyone goes to the summer celebration on Main Street in June."about 0:07:29
3 stars
"A quiet small town near a river and forest, but there is nothing to do except swim in the river; the schools are behind, commutes to jobs take 45 minutes to an hour and a half and jobs are hard to get."about 0:09:00
3 stars
"Crime does occur but does not interrupt daily life, most of it involving drugs rather than violence, and the police and fire departments respond promptly."about 0:09:55
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Oak Grove, Oregon19 miles
- Gresham, Oregon23 miles
- Skamania, Washington36 miles
- Dallas, Oregon46 miles
- Tillamook, Oregon71 miles
- Eddyville, Oregon75 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.