West Whittier-Los Nietos, California Population and Demographics

Published: October 1, 2020 3:42 pm

Population, Race and Ethnicity

West Whittier-Los Nietos is a Census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, with a population of 27,144. According to the most recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, 7.90% of residents identify as white, 0.80% as Black or African American, 1.20% as American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.90% as Asian, 0.00% as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 88.80% as Hispanic or Latino, and 0.30% as some other race or combination of races.

Nationally, some 61.1% of Americans identify as white, 12.3% as Black or African American, 0.7% as American Indian or Alaska Native, 5.4% as Asian, 0.2% as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 17.8% as Hispanic or Latino, and 2.6% as some other race or combination of races.

Native and foreign-born population

An estimated 73.10% of West Whittier-Los Nietos residents are native-born, meaning they were born in the United States, Puerto Rico, a U.S. Island Area, or abroad to a U.S. citizen. Of the 26.90% of the population that is foreign-born, 54.80% have become naturalized U.S. citizens. Nationwide, 86.5% of Americans are native-born. And of the 13.5% of Americans who are foreign-born, 48.5% have become naturalized U.S. citizens.

Age

The population of West Whittier-Los Nietos is younger than the United States as a whole. The median age is 36.5 years, 1.4 years less than the national median age of 37.9 years. An estimated 13.10% of the population is 65 years and over, compared to 15.2% of the U.S. population.

Family and household composition

Family and household composition also varies heavily across the United States. In West Whittier-Los Nietos, 59.40% of households are occupied by married-couple families, compared to the 48.3% national figure. Some 8.60% of households are occupied by single male householders, 16.60% by single female householders, and 15.40% by non-family occupants. Nationwide, 4.9% of households are occupied by single male householders, 12.6% by single female householders, and 34.3% by non-family occupants. An estimated 71.60% of heads of household own their homes, compared to the national homeownership rate of 63.8%.

Language spoken

English is by far the most commonly spoken language in California and across the U.S. as a whole. Similarly, in West Whittier-Los Nietos, 74.6% of local residents aged 5 and up speak English exclusively, or, if they are multilingual, speak English very well. For context, 81.9% of the 5 and older population across California only speaks English, or speak it very well, and 91.5% of the same age group nationwide do.

Marital status

Residents of West Whittier-Los Nietos are slightly less likely than the typical American to be married. Of all local residents aged 15 and older, 47% are currently married, compared to 48.1% of Americans nationwide in the same age group. Across California as a whole, 46.8% of residents 15 and older are married.

Divorce is less common in West Whittier-Los Nietos than it is across the U.S. as a whole. According to Census estimates, 7.3% of residents 15 and older are divorced — compared to 10.8% of the U.S. population in the same age group. In California, 9.3% of the 15 and older population is divorced.

An estimated 38.7% of West Whittier-Los Nietos residents 15 and older have never married, compared to one-third of all Americans in the same age group.

Veterans

In West Whittier-Los Nietos, 4.3% of the 18 and older civilian population are veterans — compared to 7.5% of adult civilians nationwide and 5.4% of the civilian population in all of California.

Educational attainment

In West Whittier-Los Nietos, adults are less likely to have a high school education than the typical American adult, and are less likely to have a four-year college education. Among West Whittier-Los Nietos residents 25 and older, 73.60% have a high school diploma or equivalent, and 14.70% have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 87.7% and 31.5% of adults nationwide, respectively. Across California, 82.9% of adults have graduated high school, and 33.3 have a bachelor’s degree.

Income

The typical household in West Whittier-Los Nietos earns $72,041 a year, about $11,700 more than the national median of $60,293 and $800 more than the median household income across the state of $71,228.

Poverty

Serious financial hardship is less common in West Whittier-Los Nietos than it is nationwide. The local poverty rate stands at 8.80%, while the national poverty rate is 14.1%. Across the state as a whole, 14.3% of the population lives below the poverty line.