Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, Whittier · Photo: Los Angeles · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Whittier is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Whittier differs from California on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Whittier. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Whittier
What’s behind Whittier’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whittier is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #386 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 91% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 25%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Whittier’s median household income is $97,201; among the 8,981 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$122K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Whittier
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Whittier, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Whittier; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Whittier adults…
Whittier runs below CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Whittier adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Whittier adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 Whittier adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.7% of Whittier adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Whittier and the towns around it
Whittier’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whittier | B+ | 27.5% | 11.7% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| West Whittier-Los Nietos | B− | 29% | 13.3% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| La Habra Heights | A | 21% | 10.8% | 7% | CDC place |
| Pico Rivera | C+ | 29.1% | 14% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| South Whittier | B | 28.2% | 11.9% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| East Whittier | A− | 25.1% | 10.4% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Santa Fe Springs | B− | 28.5% | 13.9% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Hacienda Heights | B+ | 21.6% | 13.9% | 9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Whittier adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Whittier
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Whittier is better than California on 7 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Whittier’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Whittier | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23%21.3–24.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.7–15 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14.3–17 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.5%24.7–30.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.6–12.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.2%26.2–30.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%33.8–38.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.1%17.6–20.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.4–6.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6.2–9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 25.3%23.1–27.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%14.5–18 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%32–37.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.1%11.8–14.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%68.9–73.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%61.1–65.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%84.4–87 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.5%68–72.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.2%52.7–59.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%70.8–80.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%17–20.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.5%36.9–42.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.6%27.3–32.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.4%17.7–21.3 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%16–19.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%14.2–17.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%28.4–32.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%12.5–14.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.5–16.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.7–6.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%7.1–8.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Whittier
Is Whittier a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whittier is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #386 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Whittier?
CDC estimates 27.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.7% and 30.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Whittier?
Pih Health Hospital-Whittier in Whittier, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Whittier’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Whittier have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.8–14.7%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Whittier more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Whittier.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.