Summerside is named for an inn owned by George Linkletter II, called Summer Side House.

[5] The outlying community of New Annan is home to the operations of Cavendish Farms, Prince Edward Island's largest private sector employer.

The Summerside area was at one time home to the world's largest concentration of Tame Silver Fox farms.

[7] The Summerside City Council is governed by a mayor and eight councillors who represent geographic areas called wards.

[9] The East Prince Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is located in North Bedeque, southeast of the city, however its only responsibility is to patrol, with the Summerside Police Department, the provincial Route 1A and Route 2 highways which pass along the east and north sides of the city.

For elections to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, Summerside is covered by Summerside-Wilmot and Summerside-South Drive.

The city also has one French public school operated by the Commission scolaire de langue française.

Although the Summerside Electric Commission has its own diesel engines at the Harvard Street Generating Station which can operate for several days independently of NB Power's supply, it is only used in exceptional circumstances such as when the NB Power or Maritime Electric transmission grids that feed the city are interrupted.

Island Emergency Medical Services operates two Advanced Life Support Paramedic Ambulances 24/7 from its base downtown.

It has cold winters with heavy snowfall, with some maritime moderation compared to areas farther inland.

[45] The city has redeveloped several waterfront industrial sites, abandoned by the railway and marine terminal during the 1990s, into new parkland.

A major reconstruction of the west end seawall has resulted in a new waterfront boardwalk for residents and visitors.

According to 2016 demographics of the city, most of the tourism in recent years, is from families just wanting to go sail out on the ocean, and catch some fish to sell to a market, or bring home.

Summerside has one radio station licensed to it, FM 102.1 CJRW-FM, which plays an adult contemporary format.