The Town FilesWhittier, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 87,306 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $822,600
- Household income
- $97,201
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 38.4
Whittier is a city of 87,306 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $822,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of California towns, more walkable than 91% of California towns, more vibrant than 90% of California towns.
How Whittier ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Whittier is worth $822,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $97,201, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $1,906 a month. 57.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whittier | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $822,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,906 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $97,201 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 57.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Whittier
| People | Whittier | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Whittier
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F. About 11.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whittier since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 9, 1982 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on March 1, 2014.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Whittier itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Whittier
44 public schools with 25,986 students, about 22.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Serna High | 9-12 | 2,385 | 26.8 |
| California High | 9-12 | 2,376 | 22.0 |
| Whittier High | 9-12 | 1,710 | 21.4 |
| Pioneer High | 9-12 | 1,072 | 18.8 |
| Granada Middle | 6-8 | 1,066 | 21.8 |
| East Whittier Middle | 6-8 | 1,051 | 24.4 |
| Katherine Edwards Mid Sch STEAM & Dual Immersion Acad | 6-8 | 894 | 22.4 |
| Rancho-Starbuck Intermediate | 7-8 | 738 | 23.1 |
| Ocean View Elementary | K-5 | 651 | 26.0 |
| Hillview Middle | 6-8 | 629 | 19.7 |
| Walter F. Dexter Middle | 6-8 | 627 | 20.9 |
| Leffingwell Elementary | K-5 | 542 | 23.6 |
Towns near Whittier
- South Whittier, CA2.4 mi · 56,415 people · home $708,300
- West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA2.9 mi · 25,325 people · home $638,900
- Rose Hills, CA3.2 mi · 2,927 people · home $884,100
- Santa Fe Springs, CA3.3 mi · 19,219 people · home $659,900
- Hacienda Heights, CA3.4 mi · 54,191 people · home $820,800
- East Whittier, CA3.4 mi · 10,394 people · home $834,100
- La Habra Heights, CA4.1 mi · 5,682 people · home $1,201,000
- Pico Rivera, CA4.3 mi · 62,088 people · home $648,600
Whittier questions
Is Whittier, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whittier scores better for retirees than 23% of California towns and quieter than 12%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Whittier?
The median owner-occupied home in Whittier is valued at $822,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,201, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $1,906 a month.
What is the weather like in Whittier?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Whittier get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whittier since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 9, 1982. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)