San Diego vs Whittier
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $822,600 in Whittier and $906,700 in San Diego.
- Households earn more in San Diego ($108,077 vs $97,201 median).
- Whittier has more scorching days: 39 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 4.
- San Diego is growing faster: +1.6% since 2020 vs -3.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in San Diego (24 vs 33 minutes each way).
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Whittier, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,406,106 | 85,815 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.6% | -3.5% |
| People per square mile | 4,312 | 5,858 |
| Median age | 36.2 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51% | 30% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $108,077 | $97,201 |
| Median home value | $906,700 | $822,600 |
| Home value to income | 8.4× | 8.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,313 | $1,906 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 111.9 | 113.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 179.3 | 170.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $83,900 | $85,200 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 58% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.5 | 33.2 |
| Work from home | 21% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6% | 5.4% |
| Poverty rate | 11% | 9.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 66° / 49° | 69° / 46° |
| July high / low | 74° / 65° | 84° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 12 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 4 | 39 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 11 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.7 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 18% | 11% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.5% | +1.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.8% | +31.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: San Diego: January to December. Whittier: September to July.
Full monthly tables: San Diego weather by month and Whittier weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $83,900 in San Diego and $85,200 in Whittier. Moving from San Diego to Whittier, you would need about $76,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between San Diego and Whittier
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from San Diego and Whittier.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.