Whittier is a city in Southern California. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities. Whittier was incorporated in February 1898 and became a charter city in 1955. The city is named for the poet John Greenleaf Whittier and is home to Whittier College.