The Town FilesSummit, Wisconsin
Town in Douglas County · population 1,030 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $201,300
- Household income
- $71,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.9
Summit is a town of 1,030 people in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $201,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Summit ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Summit is worth $201,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $71,071, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. 95.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Summit | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $201,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | — | $951 |
| Median household income | $71,071 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 22.5% | — |
Who lives in Summit
| People | Summit | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 37.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Summit
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 1.4°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 7, 1970 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 16, 1992.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 10, 2018 | Flood | DR-4383: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 2, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4076: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 16,039 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,809 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Summit itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Towns near Summit
- Oakland, WI10.0 mi · 1,170 people · home $286,000
- Superior, WI10.9 mi · 2,264 people · home $298,500
- Silver Brook, MN15.2 mi · 614 people · home $275,600
- Superior, WI15.7 mi · 677 people · home $274,200
- Parkland, WI16.0 mi · 1,231 people · home $209,100
- Bennett, WI16.8 mi · 632 people · home $250,000
- Blackhoof, MN16.8 mi · 985 people · home $269,400
- Solon Springs, WI17.2 mi · 970 people · home $268,100
Summit questions
Is Summit, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Summit scores better for retirees than 66% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 97%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Summit?
The median owner-occupied home in Summit is valued at $201,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,071, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Summit?
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 1.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 60.3 inches of snow.
Does Summit get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Summit since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 7, 1970. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)