City Guide
Whittier
Friendly City
Quaker Roots to Suburban Center: The evolution of an eastern Los Angeles County city named for a poet and shaped by citrus, oil, and college-town character
Whittier occupies approximately 15 square miles in the eastern Los Angeles County foothills, bordered by La Habra, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, and unincorporated county territory. Named for the Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier, the city developed around a Quaker colony, citrus industry, and Whittier College, growing into a diverse suburban community with historic Uptown Whittier, the Greenway Trail, and proximity to the Puente Hills.
Indigenous and Early History
The Whittier area lies within Tongva territory, with villages and resource areas distributed across the Los Angeles basin and adjacent hills. The Puente Hills and San Gabriel River corridor provided seasonal gathering sites and travel routes for indigenous communities.
Spanish colonization brought the land within Rancho Paso de Bartolo and Rancho La Habra. During the Mexican and early American periods, cattle grazing and limited agriculture covered the landscape until the 1887 land boom brought subdivisions and the arrival of Quaker settlers from the East.
Founding and Early Development
Quaker settlers establish a colony; the town is named for John Greenleaf Whittier, who wrote approvingly of the community though he never visited.
Whittier incorporates on February 25, consolidating governance over the growing settlement.
Whittier College is founded as Whittier Academy, growing into a liberal arts institution.
The Pickering Land and Water Company develops citrus groves that dominate the local economy for decades.
Early Whittier reflected Quaker values of temperance, education, and community service. Citrus packing houses, railroad connections, and agricultural employment supported the local economy through the early 20th century.
Twentieth-Century Growth
The discovery of oil in the Puente Hills brought petroleum development to the Whittier area, adding industrial employment alongside agriculture. Postwar suburbanization transformed Whittier from a small college town into a substantial residential community, with tract housing filling the valley floor and hillsides.
Oil production in the hills adds revenue and employment; the Whittier Narrows area develops.
Postwar housing tracts expand the city's population and residential footprint.
The Whittier Narrows earthquake causes significant damage, prompting rebuilding and seismic retrofit efforts.
Uptown Whittier, centered on Greenleaf Avenue and Philadelphia Street, preserved historic commercial architecture and became a focal point for dining, retail, and community events.
Economy and Employment
Whittier's economy spans healthcare, education, retail, and professional services. PIH Health Whittier Hospital (formerly Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital) and medical offices provide substantial employment. Whittier College employs faculty and staff while educating a residential student body.
Uptown Whittier and commercial corridors along Whittier Boulevard host restaurants, shops, and professional offices. Many residents commute to positions in downtown Los Angeles, Orange County, and the San Gabriel Valley in education, healthcare, government, and business services.
Market and Housing Context
The 2020 U.S. Census recorded 87,306 residents and approximately 30,100 housing units across Whittier's 14.66 square miles. Housing includes historic homes in Uptown and surrounding neighborhoods, postwar tract housing, and apartment buildings along major corridors.
Census housing tenure data indicates a mix of owner-occupied and renter-occupied units, with single-family homes predominating in established neighborhoods. Architectural styles range from Craftsman and Victorian homes near the college to mid-century ranch and contemporary construction on the hillsides. Whittier's housing stock reflects development from the late 19th century through the present. The 2020 Census recorded approximately 30,100 housing units, with owner-occupied and renter-occupied households distributed across the valley floor and Puente Hills neighborhoods.
Living in Whittier
Whittier offers Uptown Whittier's historic commercial district, the Greenway Trail along the former railroad right-of-way, and numerous parks including Pio Pico State Historic Park — the adobe home of California's last Mexican governor. The Whittier Narrows Recreation Area provides regional open space and the Splash Pad aquatic center.
Educational institutions include Whittier High School, California High School, La Serna High School, and campuses of the Whittier Union High School District and East Whittier City School District. Whittier College anchors higher education and cultural programming.
Whittier Today
87,306
Population (2020 Census)
14.66 sq mi
City Land Area
1898
Year Incorporated
30,100
Housing Units (2020 Census)
Government and Civic Life
Whittier operates under a council-manager form of government with five city council members. The city provides police, fire, public works, and planning services. City Hall on Penn Street and the civic center campus anchor municipal operations.
Historic Uptown
Uptown Whittier's preserved commercial buildings, restaurants, and seasonal events including the Uptown Whittier Christmas Parade draw visitors and support local business. The district's walkable character distinguishes it from auto-oriented commercial corridors elsewhere in the city.
Geography and Environment
Whittier occupies valley floor and Puente Hills terrain, with elevations rising toward the hills that separate the Los Angeles basin from the Inland Empire. The San Gabriel River and Whittier Narrows lie along the city's southern boundary. Mediterranean climate conditions support landscaping and outdoor recreation.
Oil production in the hills, though reduced from historical peaks, continues in some areas. Seismic risk from the Whittier Fault and regional fault systems informs building standards and emergency preparedness.
Transportation and Connectivity
Whittier is accessible via State Route 60, State Route 72, and Whittier Boulevard. Metro bus routes serve the city; the nearest Metro rail stations lie in neighboring communities. The Greenway Trail provides a multi-use path for cycling and walking along a former Union Pacific corridor.
The city's location offers commutes to downtown Los Angeles, Orange County, and the San Gabriel Valley via connecting freeways and arterials.
Looking Forward
Whittier addresses housing supply, Uptown vitality, oil field transition, and seismic safety through ongoing planning. The Greenway Trail expansion and Uptown redevelopment projects reflect investment in walkability and historic preservation. The city participates in regional discussions on water supply, air quality, and Puente Hills land use that will influence eastern Los Angeles County for years to come.
The City's Character
From Quaker colony to citrus center to diverse suburban city, Whittier has maintained a civic identity rooted in education, historic preservation, and community institutions. Uptown Whittier, Whittier College, and the city's residential neighborhoods give it a distinct character within eastern Los Angeles County.
"Whittier carries a poet's name and a Quaker's founding ideals — a city where college bells, citrus history, and Uptown storefronts still anchor community life more than a century after incorporation."
Whether exploring Uptown's historic streets, walking the Greenway Trail, or visiting Pio Pico's adobe, visitors and residents encounter an eastern county city where heritage, education, and suburban growth continue to shape daily life.