What it's like to live in Summit
Summit is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Summit deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
How Summit compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Summit
Based on Summit's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,860
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $97,200 a year
- 40% of Summit renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$198,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $99,450
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 72% above US
$2,430/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,430 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $994,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $994,500 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Union County is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Union County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 67% below US
108 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 444/100k · Summit Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 29% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% take public transit; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 5.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 101% above US
73% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Thomas Edison National Historical Park (8 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Summit's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,430/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Summit
All New Jersey guides →Moving to New Providence →
2 mi away · pop. 13,727
Rent $1,903/mo · Income $161,599
Compare with Summit →Moving to Short Hills →
2 mi away · pop. 14,923
Rent $3,126/mo · Income $250,000+
Compare with Summit →Not sure Summit is the one?
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