Los Angeles neighborhood guide
Whittier
Vertical tick marks the LA neighborhood median.
Rent in Whittier
Rent control: Whittierhas no local rent-stabilization ordinance we track, so California's statewide cap (AB 1482) is the main protection. It limits annual increases on most buildings at least 15 years old, with exemptions. Verify a building's status before signing.
General information, not legal advice.
How Whittier scores for you
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Whittier is a mid-sized city in Los Angeles County with a long civic history, incorporated in 1898 and home to Whittier College. The city sits in the Gateway Cities, a cluster of working and middle-class communities in Southeast Los Angeles County. With about 87,000 residents spread across 14.7 square miles, Whittier offers a quiet, established residential character quite different from the denser, more transit-connected neighborhoods closer to downtown Los Angeles.
Living in Whittier means settling into a car-dependent suburban landscape. You will do most errands by car, and public transit options are limited. The city ranks 267th of 319 in regional walkability and 87th of 319 in transit access, both well below the regional average. Air quality is better than most of the region (ranking 56th of 318), but traffic exposure is above average at the 55th percentile compared to typical regional conditions.
Living here
Day-to-day life in Whittier centers on driving. Restaurants, groceries, and amenities are scattered across the city rather than concentrated in walkable corridors. You will find chains like Ralphs, Vons, and Stater Bros. for grocery shopping, and dining options including Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A, and local spots like Rick's Drive In & Out. Parks such as McNees Park, Leffingwell Ranch Park, and Michigan Park provide outdoor space for families and recreation. Gyms and fitness studios are available if you search for them, but this is not a neighborhood where you step out your door and find services at hand.
The tradeoff is quiet, affordable-by-region standards, with stable single-family home character. Traffic can be heavy on major corridors, and air quality is noticeably cleaner than areas closer to the ports and freeways to the south and west. If you work locally or are willing to drive to employment elsewhere in the county, Whittier offers established community infrastructure without the congestion or cost of more central locations.
Who it's for
Whittier suits renters who work locally, value residential stability and quieter streets over walkable urban amenities, and are comfortable driving for most errands. Families, retirees, and long-term renters often find the established, car-oriented layout predictable and affordable. It is less suited to those relying on public transit, wanting walkable shopping and dining, or seeking proximity to entertainment and employment hubs in central Los Angeles.
Environment & livability
Air quality: below the California median for diesel PM exposure.
Air quality here is better than average for the state. Worth noting if you have respiratory sensitivities.
Traffic exposure: above-average traffic corridor exposure.
Higher traffic proximity correlates with elevated noise, diesel emissions, and reduced pedestrian comfort on nearby streets.
Tree cover: limited tree cover, mostly open streetscape.
Less canopy means more heat exposure and less visual greenery on daily walks. LA County median is around 14% canopy coverage.
Walkability: walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
A mixed walkability area. Good for quick trips on foot, but some destinations will require driving or transit.
Transit: minimal transit access, car strongly recommended.
Very infrequent or no meaningful transit nearby. Car dependency is high in this area.
Environmental data from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and the EPA Smart Location Database. Informational only, not professional advice for a housing decision.
Who lives in Whittier
Population
76,952
Renters
44%
of households rent
Median age
38
Median income
$93k
per household
Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Schools in Whittier
16 public schools sit inside this area · 15 with published results. Figures are the share of students who met or exceeded state standards.
| School | Grades | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 46% | 42% |
| Jordan Elementary Elementary | K-6 | 55% | 47% |
| Laurel Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 39% | 39% |
| Leffingwell Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 73% | 70% |
| Longfellow Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 52% | 49% |
| Lou Henry Hoover School of Fine Arts Elementary | K-5 | 49% | 34% |
| Lydia Jackson College Preparatory Academy Elementary | K-5 | 40% | 31% |
| Murphy Ranch Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 74% | 69% |
| Ocean View Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 70% | 69% |
| Orange Grove Elementary Elementary | K-5 | 35% | 34% |
| Whittier Independent Study Elementary | 1-8 | 35% | 38% |
| East Whittier Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 58% | 47% |
| Walter F. Dexter Middle Intermediate/Middle/Junior High | 6-8 | 35% | 19% |
| La Serna High High School | 9-12 | 71% | 43% |
| Whittier High High School | 9-12 | 64% | 42% |
| Early Childhood Education Center Preschool | No Data | — | — |
Source: California Dept. of Education (directory) and CAASPP Smarter Balanced, 2025. We publish these figures as the state reports them and show the same table for every neighborhood. Saktoo does not rate schools, and school data is never part of a neighborhood match score. Attendance boundaries change — confirm the assigned school with the district before relying on it.
Around Whittier
ALDI · Ralphs · Smart & Final · Sprouts Farmers Market
Casa de Café · J. K. Donuts
Burger King · California Fish and Grill · Carl's Jr. · Chick-fil-A
Anaconda Park · Central Park · Friends Park · John Greenleaf Whittier Park
EōS Fitness · Jeff Speakman's Kenpo 5.0
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What the census says about Whittier
Facts about the neighborhood from the American Community Survey. These describe Whittier; none of them feed the scores above.
- Typical commute
- 37 min
- one way, residents who work
- Settled households
- 76%
- moved in before 2018
- Housing built
- ~1957
- average year of construction
- Above 1 per room
- 8%
- a measure of housing pressure
- Vacant units
- 5%
- of all housing units
- Broadband
- 91%
- of households subscribe
- Detached houses
- 68%
- the rest are attached or apartments
- Typical size
- 3 bed
- median across all homes here
- Homes here
- 15,842
- total housing units
Averaged across 35 areas of about a kilometre each. ACS 5-year estimates.
Whittier in the regional index
How Whittier places when every neighborhood in LA and Orange County is scored the same way.
- Low rent and clean air together
Ranks #57 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
- Tree cover, clean air, little traffic
Ranks #58 of 263 neighborhoods on this weighting.
Finding a place in Whittier
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car in Whittier?+
Yes. Most errands require a car, and public transit is minimal. You will rank low on regional walkability and transit metrics and should plan to drive for groceries, dining, and work unless your job is within walking distance of your home.
What are the neighborhoods like in Whittier?+
Whittier is primarily quiet, single-family residential. It is surrounded by four unincorporated areas (North Whittier, South Whittier, West Whittier-Los Nietos, and East Whittier) that share similar suburban character. The city itself is home to Whittier College, which anchors a small college-adjacent area.
How is air quality in Whittier?+
Air quality ranks 56th of 318 in the region, which means cleaner air than many parts of Southeast Los Angeles County. Diesel PM exposure is below the California median, a notable advantage over areas nearer to shipping corridors and ports.
How much does it cost to rent in Whittier?+
Rent data is not currently available for Whittier in our system. Check current listings directly to see asking rents in your preferred neighborhood and bedroom count.
Is Whittier walkable?+
Whittier ranks #215 of 346 LA neighborhoods for walkability. In practice, walkable for some errands, car useful for others.
What is the average rent in Whittier?+
Current residents of Whittier pay a median rent of about $1,901 per month (Census ACS). Asking rents for new leases typically run higher.
How is the air quality in Whittier?+
Whittier has below the California median for diesel PM exposure, based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 diesel particulate data (percentile 44 of 100, lower is cleaner).
Which LA neighborhoods are similar to Whittier?+
Based on walkability, rent levels, amenities, and environment, the most similar neighborhoods to Whittier are La Crescenta-Montrose, View Park-Windsor Hills, Arcadia and Eagle Rock.