Median Income
$89,686
household / year
Median Home Value
$707,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,725
gross / month
Cost of Living
116
national avg = 100

Is Whittier, CA a Good Place to Live?

Whittier is a mid-sized city of 86,459 in California, with a median household income of $89,686 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.

Strengths: Whittier's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Whittier is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Whittier city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 115.5

Whittier's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Whittier costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.

Metric Whittier, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $707,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,725 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 56.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $89,686 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Whittier's violent crime rate is 490.5 per 100,000 residents — 29% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
490.5 /100k
Property Crime
2375.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Whittier is served primarily by East Whittier City Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Whittier, CA National Avg
School District East Whittier City Elementary —
Elementary Schools 10 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 22.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Whittier sees average highs of 68.8°F in January and 84.4°F in July, with 13.3 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricWhittier, CA
Average High — January68.8°F
Average High — July84.4°F
Annual Precipitation13.3"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricWhittier, CANational Avg
Population86,459—
Median Age37.838.9
Unemployment Rate5.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time33.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)40.0%59.3%
Black or African American1.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino49.4%18.9%
Asian5.1%6.3%
Under 1822.8%22.2%
65 and over14.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Whittier, CA 2 mi West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA 3 mi Rose Hills, CA 3 mi Santa Fe Springs, CA 3 mi Hacienda Heights, CA 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Whittier

Whittier, CA is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

90605 90602 90601 90603

Whittier vs Other Cities

Whittier, CA vs South Whittier, CA Whittier, CA vs West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA Whittier, CA vs Rose Hills, CA Whittier, CA vs Santa Fe Springs, CA Whittier, CA vs Hacienda Heights, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Whittier's cost of living index is 116, where 100 is the national average. That puts Whittier roughly 16% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $707,700 and median rent is $1,725/month.
Whittier's violent crime rate is 490.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2375.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Whittier are operated by East Whittier City Elementary. The district has 10 elementary, 3 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.7:1. 28.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Whittier, CA has a population of 86,459, a median household income of $89,686, and an unemployment rate of 5.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Whittier averages 68.8°F in January and 84.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.3 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Whittier, CA is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 90605, 90602, 90601, 90603.
The population of Whittier, California is 86,459 with a median age of 37.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Whittier: cost of living index 116 (100 = US average), median home $707,700, median household income $89,686, crime index 123 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Whittier side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.