Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, and the northernmost municipality in the county, situated about 25 miles west of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. The 2020 census counted about 22,700 residents, and the city functions as both a residential commuter town and a commercial hub for the surrounding region. The railroad is central to Summit's identity. The city developed as a year-round suburban community around the nineteenth-century rail line, and it incorporated as a city in 1899. Today NJ Transit's Midtown Direct service gives Summit an express connection to New York's Penn Station of about 30 minutes, a commute that underpins the city's enduring appeal and its relatively high housing values. Road access via Routes 24 and 78 and the Garden State Parkway, along with proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport, rounds out the transportation picture. Summit is known for a downtown that functions as a genuine regional destination, with a concentration of dining, shopping, and cultural institutions unusual for a municipality of its size. The Reeves-Reed Arboretum, the only arboretum in Union County, occupies a historic 13.5-acre estate, and the adjacent Watchung Reservation provides one of the county's largest natural areas, giving the city both urban polish and substantial open space. The Summit Public Schools serve the community and are a primary draw for families, reinforcing the city's reputation as an established, family-oriented suburb. For homebuyers, Summit offers a walkable downtown, top-tier rail access to Manhattan, strong schools, and preserved open space, all within a mature, tree-lined residential setting.