Population 5,093 · 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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Whittier is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.6 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.3 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Whittier skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.6, mirroring the country.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Whittier as they are nationally: 11.3%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 3.3 points, even as the national share fell.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Whittier own their homes; 27.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. About seven in ten owners (69.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the south. The renter share is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 33.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Whittier: 25.6% of homes are empty, 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. Vacancy has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Whittier is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. That is in line with the rest of North Carolina. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $646 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $662 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $847 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $930 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$284 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Whittier runs $930 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $284 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the north.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Whittier have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.6%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 6.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.0% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Whittier never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Whittier is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 | 2.34 | 46.9 | 11.3% | 27.0% | 25.6% | 1992 | $930 | 23.6% | 86.9% | 4.7% |
| Barkers Creek | 2.23 | 51.8 | 12.0% | 5.6% | 40.3% | 1993 | $810 | 25.3% | 95.6% | 0.0% |
| Cherokee | 2.37 | 39.2 | 21.5% | 27.0% | 19.0% | 1991 | $880 | 22.4% | 89.0% | 9.1% |
| Dillsboro | 2.16 | 48.7 | 9.7% | 40.2% | 34.5% | 1988 | $869 | 28.0% | 92.7% | 3.8% |
| Ela | 2.48 | 44.3 | 9.1% | 15.8% | 46.6% | 1991 | $795 | 28.4% | 85.7% | 6.4% |
| Gay | 1.85 | 47.9 | 13.0% | 1.8% | 25.8% | 1981 | $810 | 20.1% | 98.8% | 0.0% |
| Sylva | 2.19 | 43.1 | 13.1% | 34.9% | 15.1% | 1985 | $888 | 28.5% | 90.4% | 3.4% |
| Webster | 2.62 | 34.2 | 25.3% | 53.0% | 7.5% | 1987 | $767 | 35.5% | 90.1% | 5.9% |
| Bryson City | 2.20 | 43.8 | 11.9% | 28.6% | 31.7% | 1988 | $718 | 22.8% | 85.4% | 7.0% |
| Leatherman | 1.99 | 52.9 | 5.0% | 6.8% | 45.3% | 1986 | $648 | 26.3% | 94.3% | 2.1% |
| Airport | 2.62 | 35.4 | 23.8% | 24.8% | 11.3% | 1986 | $753 | 19.1% | 82.8% | 15.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bunker Hill, IN · Camden, OH · Cambridge, WI · Camanche, IA · Calumet, MI · California, PA · Butler, IN · Burnt Hills, NY · Burnettown, SC · Cameron, WI
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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