West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA

West Whittier–Los Nietos joins two distinct unincorporated Los Angeles County communities near the San Gabriel River and its namesake freeway, about three miles northwest of Whittier. Its population slipped from 25,540 in 2010 to 25,325 in 2020. Los Nietos is one of Southern California’s oldest communities and developed around Rancho Los Nietos and Rancho Santa Gertrudes. It appeared as a township in the 1860 and 1870 censuses, when its boundaries extended from the Puente Hills to Long Beach. The Los Nietos School District, established in 1861, remains one of the districts serving elementary students; most high-school students attend within Whittier Union High School District, principally Pioneer High.