Whittier, California

Whittier is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 83,680. It is home to Rose Hills Memorial Park, considered to be the largest cemetery in the world.

Geography

Whittier is located at 33°57'56" North, 118°1'28" West (33.965662, -118.024495)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.9 km² (14.6 mi²). 37.9 km² (14.6 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 83,680 people, 28,271 households, and 20,468 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,208.4/km² (5,719.4/mi²). There are 28,977 housing units at an average density of 764.7/km² (1,980.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 63.19% White, 1.22% African American, 1.32% Native American, 3.31% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 25.80% from other races, and 5.01% from two or more races. 55.89% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 28,271 households out of which 37.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% are married couples living together, 14.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% are non-families. 22.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.88 and the average family size is 3.38.

In the city the population is spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $49,256, and the median income for a family is $55,726. Males have a median income of $40,394 versus $34,223 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,409. 10.5% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.7% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Origin of name

In the founding days of Whittier, when it was a small isolated town with a clear view of the Pacific Ocean, Jonathan Bailey and his wife, Rebecca, were the first residents. They followed the Quaker religion, and held religious meetings on their porch. As the city grew, the citizens named it after John Greenleaf Whittier, a respected Quaker poet. Whittier wrote a dedication poem, and is honored today with statues and a small exhibit at the Whittier museum; a statue of him sits in the park, and another representing his The Barefoot Boy poem resides by the City Hall. Consequently, the college there is called Whittier College, and the mascot, appropriately, is "The Poet." Ironically, Whittier never set foot in there, but the city still bears his name and is deeply rooted in the Quaker tradition.

Notable residents

Joy Enriquez : Singer, Actress 7th Heaven
Caprice Bourret: Supermodel
Stacy Ferguson : Member of the Black Eyed Peas music group
Nomar Garciaparra : Pro Baseball Player
Haven : Adult Actress
Oscar de la Hoya : Boxer
Roger Lodge : Actor, Host of Blind Date
Martika : 80's singer
Richard Nixon : President of the United States
Eric Stoltz : Actor
Tina Yothers : Actress, Family Ties