Located just south of the busy city of Los Angeles, Whittier is a part of the Gateway Cities and offers residents a balance between a historic and innovative community. The 2010 U.S. Census of Population and Housing reported the city had a population of 85,331, up 2 percent from 2000, while the overall population of California increased 10 percent between 2000 and 2010. The population density was 5,818.6 people per square mile.
Data shows there were 29,591 housing units at an average density of 2,017.8 per square mile in the city, of which 16,207 were occupied by owners while 42.7 percent of households were renter-occupied. The median household income of $65,308 likely boosted the value of owner-occupied housing units between 2006 and 2010 to $512,400, which was well above the statewide median value of $458,500. The median rent paid during the same period was $1,091.
The 2010 Census listed the median age of residents in Whittier as around 35 years old while 25.4 percent of the population was under the age of 18 years old. Additionally, 11.7 percent of residents were 65 years of age or older. More than 87 percent of residents had also been in the same home for at least a year.