City · California
Whittier, California
Whittier, city, in Los Angeles County, California. Whittier had 85,815 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 87,306 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 86,165 (±55). GEOID 0685292.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
85,815
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 87,306 · ACS 2020-2024: 86,165 ±55
Median household income
$97,201
±$4,965 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$822,600
±$10,136 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,906
±$42 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Whittier and what county is it in?
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It covers 14.6 square miles of land, 5,960 residents per square mile in 2020.
Whittier is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Whittier, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 85,815 people lived in Whittier on July 1, 2025, down 3.5% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 87,306 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 86,165 (±55).
| Measure | Whittier | Los Angeles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 86,165 ±55 | 9,808,667 | no clear change |
| Households | 28,099 ±818 | 3,416,449 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.01 ±0.09 | 2.81 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 29,734 ±786 | 3,650,466 | +1,303 |
Whittier's population since 2000
From 83,680 in 2000 to 85,815 in 2025: up 2.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Whittier as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Whittier?
The median resident of Whittier is 38.4 years old; 22.7% are under 18 and 15.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 67.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 22.2%. 17.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Whittier | Los Angeles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 ±1.0 | 38.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.7% ±1.2 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.0% ±1.0 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Male | 48.3% ±1.1 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 67.1% ±2.1 pts | 48.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 22.2% ±1.9 pts | 24.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.3 pts | 7.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.2% ±0.7 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±0.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 17.6% ±1.2 pts | 33.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 42.7% ±2.1 pts | 55.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.2% ±0.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
| With a disability | 10.2% ±0.8 pts | 11.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.0% ±1.1 pts | 8.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.5% ±1.2 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.5% ±1.8 pts | 36.0% | +3.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.0% ±1.1 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.3% ±0.8 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Whittier earn?
Half of Whittier's 28,099 households earn less than $97,201 a year (±$4,965), against $90,112 in Los Angeles County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $95,096 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Whittier | Los Angeles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,201 ±$4,965 | $90,112 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $125,118 ±$4,789 | $128,770 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,927 ±$1,797 | $45,792 | +$3,304 |
| People below the poverty line | 9.1% ±1.2 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.3% ±3.3 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.3% ±1.4 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.7% ±1.0 pts | 96.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.2% ±1.4 pts | 93.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Whittier?
Owners occupy 57.9% of Whittier's occupied homes and renters 42.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $822,600 by its owner (±$10,136). The median renter pays $1,906 a month including utilities, and 47.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Whittier | Los Angeles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $822,600 ±$10,136 | $834,200 | +$115,689 |
| Median gross rent | $1,906 ±$42 | $1,954 | +$240 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.9% ±4.0 pts | 48.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,995 ±$87 | $3,160 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.9% ±2.3 pts | 45.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.1% ±2.3 pts | 54.1% | – |
| Housing units | 29,734 ±786 | 3,650,466 | +1,303 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.1% ±2.0 pts | 47.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.3% ±0.5 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.0% ±1.4 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.2% ±1.4 pts | 8.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Whittier building?
Builders took permits for 30 new housing units in Whittier in 2025 (26 in single-family houses), 0.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Whittier work and get to work?
75.3% of Whittier's workers drive alone and 11.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.4%.
| Measure | Whittier | Los Angeles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.4% ±1.5 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±1.1 pts | 7.3% | +1.4 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 75.3% ±1.8 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.2% ±1.3 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.4% ±0.6 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±0.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.9% ±1.2 pts | 17.1% | +7.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.2 min ±1.1 | 30.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Whittier?
20 census tracts lie mostly in Whittier, and 8 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $56,576 (Tract 5015.04) to $184,286 (Tract 5002.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5034.01Los Angeles County | 7,641 | $109,356 |
| Tract 5016Los Angeles County | 6,827 | $104,333 |
| Tract 5015.03Los Angeles County | 5,484 | $91,820 |
| Tract 5002.02Los Angeles County | 4,898 | $158,750 |
| Tract 5018.03Los Angeles County | 4,804 | $60,399 |
| Tract 5013.02Los Angeles County | 4,345 | $103,478 |
| Tract 5019Los Angeles County | 4,332 | $112,143 |
| Tract 5002.03Los Angeles County | 4,287 | $184,286 |
| Tract 5034.02Los Angeles County | 4,141 | $111,932 |
| Tract 5017Los Angeles County | 3,828 | $101,512 |
| Tract 5020.04Los Angeles County | 3,621 | $68,110 |
| Tract 5015.04Los Angeles County | 3,551 | $56,576 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Whittier) · Census block assignment files
How does Whittier compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Whittier is the 427th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 98th-most populous of 483 in California.
Whittier ranks 475th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 98th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 343rd | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 189th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 475th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 547th | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 343rd | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 459th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 519th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 517th | 988 |
| Median age | 604th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 737th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 545th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 221st | 1,069 |
Whittier's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Whittier with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Whittier?
3 of the 57 figures for Whittier on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Whittier are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Whittier.