Population 328 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Whittier
Household size in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.00 | 2.79 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.88 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.92 | 2.91 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.72 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.46 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
The average household in Whittier has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.00, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 35.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 35.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.2 | 35.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 31.8 | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −11.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 31.8, Whittier is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Whittier than nationally: 9.5%, against 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Whittier
Renters in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.6% | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.1% | 36.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.4% | 35.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 60.7% | 33.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Whittier rent: 60.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over eight in ten owners (83.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.9% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.7% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 69.7% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.5% | 15.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +11.6 pts | +1.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 63.5% of the housing in Whittier, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +6 |
Whittier is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $681 | $1,067 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $639 | $1,192 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $838 | $1,322 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $962 | $1,518 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$281 | +$451 | +$606 |
The median renter in Whittier pays $962 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 22.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Whittier
Bachelor's degrees in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.7% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 26.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 29.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.6% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Whittier than nationally: 29.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Alaska as a whole looks much the same.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.3% | 90.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 91.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 92.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.4% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Whittier is a bit above the national rate: 92.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Alaska.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Whittier
| Period | Whittier | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 6.0%, unemployment in Whittier is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Whittier compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whittier | 2.46 | 31.8 | 9.5% | 60.7% | 63.5% | 1956 | $962 | 29.6% | 92.4% | 6.0% |
| Girdwood | 2.22 | 46.0 | 8.8% | 14.6% | 40.2% | 1990 | $1,849 | 51.3% | 98.5% | 7.7% |
| Indian | 1.99 | 43.2 | 9.9% | 20.6% | 39.2% | 1985 | $1,849 | 50.6% | 97.9% | 0.8% |
| Moose Pass | 2.14 | 43.9 | 8.1% | 31.9% | 70.5% | 1980 | $1,404 | 31.8% | 95.8% | 0.2% |
| Hope | 2.14 | 43.9 | 8.1% | 31.9% | 70.5% | 1980 | $1,404 | 31.8% | 95.8% | 0.2% |
| Cooper Landing | 2.14 | 43.9 | 8.1% | 31.9% | 70.5% | 1980 | $1,404 | 31.8% | 95.8% | 0.2% |
| Peters Creek | 2.43 | 46.5 | 2.8% | 12.9% | 9.3% | 1985 | $1,251 | 50.9% | 95.4% | 6.1% |
| Eagle River | 2.70 | 35.7 | 4.9% | 19.2% | 7.0% | 1989 | $2,269 | 47.7% | 96.3% | 3.3% |
| Fort Richardson | 3.34 | 24.1 | 5.1% | 88.4% | 4.0% | 2003 | $2,263 | 36.5% | 96.8% | 6.9% |
| Anchorage | 2.70 | 36.8 | 13.4% | 37.0% | 10.6% | 1982 | $1,667 | 37.1% | 93.4% | 4.7% |
| Bear Creek | 2.35 | 49.3 | 1.1% | 43.0% | 25.9% | 1996 | $1,363 | 36.7% | 98.8% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Vida, MT · Waverly, SD · Waverley, ME · Wattenberg, CO · Watson Run, PA · Waterville Valley, NH · Watchorn, OK · Waka, TX · Village of Lake Isabella, MI · Wayne, MT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Whittier. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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