The Town FilesSummit, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 11,161 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $232,600
- Household income
- $61,863
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 38.1
Summit is a village of 11,161 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $232,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Illinois towns, better transit than 99% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 98% of Illinois towns.
How Summit ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Summit is worth $232,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $61,863, which is more affordable than 7% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,137 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Summit | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,137 | $960 |
| Median household income | $61,863 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 60.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Summit
| People | Summit | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 42.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Summit
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 34.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 13, 1976 about 8.6 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 36 deaths and 678 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 162 times; the largest was 4.80 inches on March 10, 2026.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Summit itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Summit
5 public schools with 3,185 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argo Community High School | 9-12 | 1,841 | 14.8 |
| Otis P Graves Elem School | PK-5 | 552 | 14.2 |
| Heritage Middle School | 6-8 | 447 | 10.9 |
| Walsh Elem School | K-5 | 239 | 10.0 |
| Dr Donald Wharton Elem School | K-5 | 106 | 8.2 |
Towns near Summit
- Lyons, IL1.7 mi · 10,817 people · home $257,300
- Justice, IL2.5 mi · 12,600 people · home $238,400
- Stickney, IL2.9 mi · 7,110 people · home $244,900
- Riverside, IL2.9 mi · 9,298 people · home $491,400
- Brookfield, IL3.1 mi · 19,476 people · home $332,400
- Countryside, IL3.3 mi · 6,420 people · home $324,700
- Bridgeview, IL3.3 mi · 17,027 people · home $236,400
- La Grange, IL3.4 mi · 16,321 people · home $594,300
Summit questions
Is Summit, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Summit scores better for retirees than 3% of Illinois towns and quieter than 1%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Summit?
The median owner-occupied home in Summit is valued at $232,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,863, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,137 a month.
What is the weather like in Summit?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38.8 inches of snow.
Does Summit get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 13, 1976. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)