The Town FilesSummit, Arkansas
City in Marion County · population 544 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 31.0
Summit is a city of 544 people in Marion County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $126,600, close to the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better transit than 86% of Arkansas towns, hipper than 71% of Arkansas towns.
How Summit ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Summit is worth $126,600, close to the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Median rent is $727 a month. 69.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Summit | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $727 | $792 |
| Median household income | — | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 69.2% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Summit
| People | Summit | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 35.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.0% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.9% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 84.4% |
Weather in Summit
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.4 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 73 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 18, 1985 about 4.6 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 76 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 24, 2003.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4788: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
Jobs and pay in Marion County
Marion County had 3,239 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,231 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Summit itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Towns near Summit
- Yellville, AR1.6 mi · 1,178 people · home $117,300
- Flippin, AR5.6 mi · 1,345 people · home $113,800
- Cotter, AR9.6 mi · 886 people · home $193,100
- Bull Shoals, AR10.0 mi · 1,952 people · home $158,100
- Gassville, AR11.4 mi · 2,171 people · home $142,700
- Lakeview, AR11.8 mi · 775 people · home $215,700
- Midway, AR15.3 mi · 1,036 people · home $147,300
- Mountain Home, AR17.9 mi · 12,825 people · home $169,800
Summit questions
Is Summit, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Summit scores better for retirees than 49% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 60%. 8.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.0).
How much does a house cost in Summit?
The median owner-occupied home in Summit is valued at $126,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $727 a month.
What is the weather like in Summit?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 6.4 inches of snow.
Does Summit get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 18, 1985. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- 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)