The Town FilesSummit, New Jersey
City in Union County · population 22,719 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $994,500
- Household income
- $190,304
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 41.8
Summit is a city of 22,719 people in Union County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $994,500, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better transit than 96% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 92% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 85% of New Jersey towns.
How Summit ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Summit is worth $994,500, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $190,304, which is more affordable than 15% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,430 a month. 68.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Summit | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $994,500 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,430 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $190,304 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.3% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Summit
| People | Summit | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.5% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.8% | — |
| Work from home | 23.8% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 94.6% |
Weather in Summit
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on December 9, 2009.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 229,010 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,322 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Summit itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Summit
9 public schools with 3,982 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit High School | 9-12 | 1,176 | 11.0 |
| Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School | 6-8 | 929 | 10.4 |
| Lincoln-Hubbard Elementary School | 1-5 | 360 | 11.6 |
| Franklin Elementary School | 1-5 | 350 | 12.5 |
| Brayton Elementary School | 1-5 | 322 | 9.5 |
| Washington Elementary School | 1-5 | 303 | 11.2 |
| Jefferson Elementary School | 1-5 | 224 | 11.2 |
| Primary Center at Wilson | PK-K | 204 | 14.6 |
| Primary Center at Jefferson | PK-K | 114 | 12.7 |
Towns near Summit
- Springfield, NJ2.0 mi · 17,178 people · home $636,600
- Chatham, NJ2.0 mi · 9,212 people · home $984,900
- Mountainside, NJ2.4 mi · 7,020 people · home $810,300
- New Providence, NJ2.5 mi · 13,650 people · home $769,900
- Short Hills, NJ2.5 mi · 14,422 people · home $1,674,100
- Millburn, NJ2.9 mi · 21,710 people · home $1,371,500
- Chatham, NJ3.8 mi · 10,983 people · home $1,072,600
- Madison, NJ4.0 mi · 16,937 people · home $943,200
Summit questions
Is Summit, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Summit scores better for retirees than 51% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 20%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Summit?
The median owner-occupied home in Summit is valued at $994,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $190,304, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $2,430 a month.
What is the weather like in Summit?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.0 inches of snow.
Does Summit get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 28, 1973. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- 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)