CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

41.79° N · 87.81° W · GEOID 1773638

Summit

Cook County, Illinois · part of the Chicago, IL metro

IllinoisSummit, ILSummitSummit

The short answer

Summit is home to 10,846 people. Median household income is $61,863 a year and median rent is $1,137 a month, 22.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $232,600, about 3.8x annual median household income.

Summit's housing market sets it apart. Homeowners pay a median of about 2.4% of home value a year in property tax, more than in 95% of places its size. Also notable: OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 93% of places its size. It is the lowest of 335 Illinois places we track.

17OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Summit scores better than 17% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 308th of 335 in Illinois.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%44
Economy 20%32
Safety 20%56
Amenities 15%37
Education 10%7
Commute 10%28
Growth 5%23
Median gross rent
$1,137
17% below the median place
Median household income
$61,863
23% below the median place
Median home value
$232,600
27% below the median place
Unemployment
5.5%
13% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Summit

  • AffordabilityAfter the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $47,300 a year, less than in 85% of the 1,884 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Summit

Cook County loses about 10.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in120,387
Moved out162,651
Net−42,264

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

DuPage County, IL12,39919,059−6,660
Will County, IL7,54812,890−5,342
Lake County, IL7,32311,713−4,390
Lake County, IN4,7308,061−3,331
Kane County, IL4,2357,041−2,806
McHenry County, IL1,8464,112−2,266
Los Angeles County, CA2,0592,538−479
Maricopa County, AZ1,6782,643−965

Within Illinois, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IllinoisOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$85K
Leavers$118K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Cook County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.8% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Cook County report $85,500 a year in income on average; those leaving, $117,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$45,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,137 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,824 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $232,600.
Getting to work
29 minutes each way on average; 5.2% work from home; 8.8% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Worthington, MN matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-10.5
below the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out8
$117,738
68% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
3.5%
39% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure3.5%39% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.8%10% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-10.5below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$85,47021% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$117,73868% above
02

What it costs to live here

Home values are about 25% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture.

Summit22.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$45,480
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.1%
8% above the median place
Home price to income
3.8x
1% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$47,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Summit, $1,137 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Summit, but easier on the budget

Places that match Summit on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Worthington, MN8118.2% vs 22.1%n/aCompare
Storm Lake, IA8017.2% vs 22.1%n/aCompare
Crete, NE8014.5% vs 22.1%n/aCompare
Lexington, NE7917.1% vs 22.1%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Summit.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Summit? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
2.4%
158% above the median place
Median year built1
1959
1% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$5,476
68% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,13717% below
Rent to income122.1%8% above
Property tax rate12.4%158% above
Home price to income13.8x1% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.63% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,01125% above
HUD area median income4County figure$121,50013% above
Property tax paid (median)1$5,47668% above
Median home value1$232,60027% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure5.5%73% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure41.6%19% below
Homeownership160.9%8% below
Renters paying 30%+157.6%14% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8243% below
Vacant homes18.7%23% above
Median year built119591% below
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 16.5 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 92% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Commutes by transit1
8.8%
above the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
5.2%
58% below the median place
Median household income1
$61,863
23% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute29 min +16%
Income per person$33,359 −17%
Unemployment5.5% +13%
Poverty rate11.2% +4%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$61,86323% below
Income per person1$33,35917% below
Unemployment15.5%13% above
Average annual pay6County figure$90,47737% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.1%11% above
Jobs6County figure2,594,810above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate111.2%4% above
Mean commute129 min16% above
Works from home15.2%58% below
Commutes by transit18.8%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

43% of residents were born outside the US, more than in 97% of the 2,199 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 301 Illinois places we track.

High school or higher1
67.2%
27% below the median place
Born abroad1
42.7%
384% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
14.0%
56% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband84.0% −9%
No health insurance15.0% 2.3×
Household size2.9 +17%
Median age38.1 −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population110,8463887th largest
Population change since 20207-3.6%below (median 1.1%)
Median age138.12% below
Bachelor's or higher114.0%56% below
High school or higher167.2%27% below
Household size12.917% above
Born abroad142.7%384% above
No health insurance115.0%134% above
Homes with broadband184.0%9% below
05

Life in Summit

The nearest National Park Service site is Pullman National Historical Park, about 12 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1890. 623 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 57 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents7.4 −27%
Playgrounds per 10k9.2 −2%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k3.7 −67%
Libraries per 10k1.8 2.1×
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi16.5 78.7×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Pullman National Historical Park 12 miles
  • Indiana Dunes National Park 38 miles
  • North Country Trail 149 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars23.6 +13%
Shops26.2 −14%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.4 +7%
Doctors' offices and clinics23.6 +17%
Child care centers3.2 +39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher14
13.0
16% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
12.3
60% below the median place
Public schools14
5
44% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14544% below
Public school students143,12236% below
Students per teacher1413.016% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure23.613% above
Shops per 10k9County figure26.214% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure4.47% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure23.617% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.239% above
Parks per 10k107.427% below
Playgrounds per 10k109.22% below
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k103.767% below
Libraries per 10k101.8111% above
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi1016.5above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1112.360% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure623above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 187, 2% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
187
2% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
965
20% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Tornado risk16
100.0
23% above the median place
Heat wave risk16
99.8
11% above the median place
Natural hazard risk16
100.0
8% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSummitAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure84°F4% below
January average low15County figure17°F33% below
Average temperature15County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation15County figure38.3 in13% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure100.08% above
Hurricane risk16County figure48.931% below
Tornado risk16County figure100.023% above
Wildfire risk16County figure55.89% below
Heat wave risk16County figure99.811% above
Median air quality index17County figure5323% above
Good air days17County figure40.8%40% below
08

Summit in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Summit does better than 46% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 19%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,137/mo (2024)$1,460/mo$1,200 to $1,780/mo+4.2%
Median household income$61,863 (2024)$79,000$66,500 to $93,500+4.1%
Median home value$232,600 (2024)$326,000$237,000 to $450,000+5.8%
Population10,753 (2025)10,67010,230 to 11,120−0.2%

The median home would be worth 4.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Summit

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Melrose Park, IL$1,176$66,189Compare
Sandston, VA$1,211$59,238Compare
Faribault, MN$1,074$61,449Compare
Hopewell, VA$1,106$54,729Compare
Hopewell, VAFaribault, MNSandston, VAMelrose Park, ILSummit, ILSummitMelrose ParkSandstonFaribaultHopewellSummitMelrose ParkSandstonFaribaultHopewell

Places built like Summit

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Summit performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Summit, IL22.1%5.5%/yr-3.6%
Schiller Park, IL21.0%5.2%/yr-3.4%Compare
Melrose Park, IL21.3%5.4%/yr-3.3%Compare
Franklin Park, IL17.4%3.6%/yr-2.0%Compare
Northlake, IL16.1%8.7%/yr-3.2%Compare
New Carrollton, MD25.7%4.0%/yr-0.0%Compare
Alondra Park, CA25.8%7.1%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Summit a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 17 out of 100, better than 17% of the places we rate and 308th of 335 in Illinois. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $47,300 a year, less than in 85% of the 1,884 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 64 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Summit expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $232,600.

What salary do you need to live in Summit?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $45,480 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Summit safe?

There were 187 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Summit?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Melrose Park, IL, Sandston, VA, Faribault, MN and Hopewell, VA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Summit with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Summit itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/summit-illinois

Citytistics. “Summit, Illinois.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/summit-illinois/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.