Summit, NJ Real Estate Guide: Buy, Sell & Rent

Summit is a city in Union County with 22,719 residents as of the 2020 Census, covering about 6 square miles. Its downtown grew up around the railroad, and the blocks around the 1905 Summit station are now listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places as the Summit Downtown Historic District. Here's what to know before you make a move.

Why People Choose Summit

Summit station is where NJ Transit's Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch meet, so the city has trains on both lines from a single downtown stop. The central business district around it covers about 80 acres and more than 220 parcels, with shops, services, restaurants and outdoor dining along Springfield Avenue and the surrounding streets.

The city also has cultural and medical anchors. The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey on Elm Street, within walking distance of the station, runs a contemporary art museum and a studio school. The Summit Playhouse on New England Avenue is a listed historic building that hosts live theater. Overlook Medical Center on Beauvoir Avenue is a major hospital in the city.

Green space is close by too. Reeves-Reed Arboretum on Hobart Avenue has about five and a half acres of formal gardens plus woodland trails, and its historic estate is on the National Register. Union County's Briant Park, shared with Springfield, has a fitness trail and fishing. The city is also building the Summit Park Line, a pedestrian park on a former rail line. Its first section, between Broad Street and Morris Avenue, is complete, the next segment runs toward Russell Place, and the long-term goal is to reach Briant Park.

Getting Around: Commuting from Summit

• Train: Summit station serves both the Morristown Line and the Gladstone Branch, with connections to New York Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal and Secaucus Junction. New Providence station is nearby on the Gladstone Branch.
• Bus: NJ Transit routes serving Summit include the 70 and the 986 local route. Lakeland Bus Lines also serves the city, and there is a bus park-and-ride at Springfield Avenue and Route 24.
• Car: Route 24 runs through the area, and Interstate 78 runs nearby, connecting Summit to Newark and the rest of the state's highway network.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Summit's 2025 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan counts about 8,600 housing units, and Census figures put the owner-occupancy rate at about 72 percent. What you'll find:

• Single-family homes: About two-thirds of the city's housing. Roughly a third of all homes were built before 1940, so older homes are a big part of the market.
• Townhouses and two-family homes: Attached single-family homes make up about 7 percent of the stock and two-family homes about 6 percent.
• Downtown: The National Register nomination for the Summit Downtown Historic District describes brick commercial blocks, mostly built between 1890 and 1930, with storefronts on the ground floor and apartments above in the area north of the railroad.
• Apartments and newer multifamily buildings: The rest of the mix. Several developments include income-restricted units under the city's housing plan, such as Parmley Place, Promenade on Morris Avenue and Providence Crossing on Springfield Avenue.

Change is also planned near the station. The city has designated the Broad Street West area, south of the rail line, as an area in need of redevelopment, and a Morris Broad Crossroads overlay zone covers parts of Morris Avenue, Broad Street and Cedar Street.

Buying a Home in Summit

Here's what we help Summit buyers check:

• Older-home inspections: For pre-1940 homes, a thorough look at the roof, foundation, drainage, electrical, plumbing and heating is essential.
• Historic review: Summit's Historic Preservation Commission reviews zoning variance applications, and the downtown district is on the State and National Registers. If you're planning an addition or exterior changes, we'll check what reviews apply to the address first.
• Flood risk: Union County's hazard mitigation plan maps flood hazard areas along tributaries of the Passaic River on the city's northern boundary, including one along West End Avenue, and along Salt Brook. The city requires a floodplain development permit for work in FEMA flood zones. We review flood maps and insurance needs for any property near these waterways.
• Townhouse and condo associations: For attached homes, we review monthly fees, reserves and any planned special assessments.
• Property taxes: We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering so you can budget accurately.
• Two-family homes: An FHA loan can work for a two-to-four-family property with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units.

We can connect you with a lender for pre-approval before you start touring, and we work with cash buyers too.

Selling Your Summit Home

Pricing in Summit depends heavily on the specific property: its age and style, lot, distance to the train, flood zone status, and whether it is a single-family home, a townhouse or a two-family. Each competes with a different set of comparable sales. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis using truly similar recent sales, gather tax and flood information up front, and market your home across the MLS and major online channels.

Renting and Investing in Summit

Renter-occupied homes make up roughly a quarter of Summit's housing, from apartments above downtown storefronts to newer multifamily buildings and single-family homes for lease. Units near the station appeal to commuters, and Overlook Medical Center is a large employer in the city. For investors, we'll look at realistic rents, taxes, insurance and flood exposure before you buy. We also help landlords price, market and screen tenants.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Summit Downtown Historic District, including Old Town Hall and the 1938 Summit Diner
• Visual Arts Center of New Jersey on Elm Street
• Summit Playhouse on New England Avenue
• Reeves-Reed Arboretum on Hobart Avenue
• Carter House on Butler Parkway, built in 1741
• Twin Maples on Edgewood Road
• Briant Park and Passaic River Park (Union County)
• Summit Park Line
• Overlook Medical Center
• Public schools: Summit Public Schools, including Summit High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Summit with nearby towns? Read our guides to New Providence, Springfield, Millburn and Berkeley Heights, or browse all of our North Jersey town guides.

Talk to a Local Broker

The Thompson Realty Group is a licensed New Jersey real estate brokerage based at 20 MacArthur Ave in Garfield, serving buyers, sellers, renters and investors across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties. Whether you're a first-time FHA buyer, a cash investor, or a homeowner wondering what your place is worth, we'll give you straight answers about Summit.

Call or text 201-928-5562 or book a free 15-minute consultation. You can also search every active New Jersey listing on our website.

Information on this page is provided for general guidance and is believed accurate as of October 2026. Programs, ordinances, taxes and transit schedules change, so please verify details for any specific property. Equal Housing Opportunity.