A town in Florida, once recognized for its vast orange groves, picturesque landscapes, and a charming small-town feel, is currently facing challenges as it experiences rapid growth and development.
In the last ten years, Clermont, located 25 miles east of Orlando, has witnessed a significant surge in its population. This boom has led developers to replace rows of orange trees with uniform housing and chain retail outlets.
According to the most recent census data from July 2024, Clermont’s population has risen to just over 50,000. This is a significant increase from the slightly over 43,000 residents recorded in April 2020 and from nearly 29,000 in April 2010.
As development has accelerated, locals have grown concerned over whether the city has the infrastructure to handle such robust change.
Residents believe that the biggest issue is over-building. ‘It used to be a nice town, now it’s wall to wall houses,’ local Eva Dole told News 6.
‘It used to be you could look up where the Publix is on U.S. 27 and it was all orange groves,” she explained. ‘Now it’s just a whole bunch of stores.’
She said locals initially advocated for stores but she wasn’t expecting chains to move in practically overnight.
The once rolling groves that Florida and Clermont especially was known for now sit at an all time low – production in the state’s orange groves has tanked 92 percent since 2003–2004 season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Citrus Tower (pictured) used to be surrounded by rows and rows of oranges groves. More than two decades ago this is what the area around the tower looked like
Now The Citrus Tower, which is located in the middle of the city, overlooks new neighborhoods filled with homes, a parking lot and office buildings. Pictured here in 2019
Clermont, Florida used to be a quaint farming town. Now it’s packed with wall to wall homes and hardly any groves in sight. A bird’s eye view of Clermont is seen above
Realtor Bent Danholm (pictured) has serviced central Florida for nearly 10 years and says families love Clermont as it has spacious homes at lower prices than surrounding areas
The Citrus Tower, built in 1956 to allow visitors to observe the miles of surrounding orange groves, sits in the middle of the city and serves as a reminder about the once flourishing industry with new homes and businesses having sprung up around it.
Realtor Bent Danholm who has been working in the area since 2016 has found that families are flocking to Clermont to take advantage of spacious homes at lower prices than the surrounding areas.
‘It’s cheaper than Winter Garden and Horizon West area but it’s still close to jobs in the Orlando area and the price range is a little bit lower,’ he told Daily Mail.
He said that families are also taking advantage of the influx of jobs in the area, and despite their complaints, locals don’t seem to be moving out.
‘What I gather from what people tell me there’s still quite a good sense of community,’ he said. ‘I’ve seen more people wanting to buy there than wanting to move away.’
Danholm said – on average – families come in looking to spend around $400,000 on their new home. He added that thanks to the ever-developing landscape there are lots of places to choose from.
He said that on-the-market homes in the area have increased from 579 in January to 739 in June.
He told Daily Mail: ‘Overall, the Clermont market is very well-balanced, slightly favoring the sellers.’
The population of the once intimate community in Clermont is now just over 43,000 residents
Big-box chains have overshadowed local businesses in the city’s push to commercialize
Homes in Clermont are seen above. A local realtor told Daily Mail that many of his listings in Clermont contain four or more bedrooms
Grove owner Tara Boshell photographs icicles created by a sprinkler that hang from an orange tree at Showcase of Citrus groves in Clermont in 2022
Many of his Clermont listings contain four or more bedrooms, backyard pools, and spacious yards.
The average listing currently costs just under $600,000 and contains 3.5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms within 2,000 square feet, per Danholm’s website.
Another local realtor Matt Wheatley said that families aren’t the only ones coming in swarms to Clermont.
‘A lot of pro wakeboarders and now wake surfers choose the Clermont chain of lakes due to its depth and ease of use for training daily,’ he told Daily Mail. Their preferred listings include high-end lake front living.
However the rush for real estate has also brought with it other issues like traffic. Dole said: ‘When you’re driving and all you see are buildings and it’s bumper-to-bumper traffic, it’s very difficult to feel like you’re in a small town.’
Local Eddy Judson commented on a social media post about the town’s development saying: ‘We’re basically Orlando now.’
At the forefront of the changes going forward is Wellness Way, which is using tens of thousands of acres of land to build 15,000 homes, office buildings and shops.
The plan, which has been in the works for over a decade, aims to bring high-tech, high-paying jobs to the city.
Many pro-wakeboarders move to waterfront properties in Clermont. Their preferred listings include high-end lake front living
At the forefront of the changes going forward is Wellness Way, which is using tens of thousands of acres of land to build 15,000 homes, office buildings and shops. Pictured: The ongoing construction
New development Wellness Way (pictured) is taking over Clermont and will see even more residents move in
It’s also intended to incorporate fitness centers, sports facilities and health and wellness spaces into the community.
It’s aimed at ‘creating a community devoted to health and wellness,’ according to First Capitol Group.
Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks said: ‘I think the growth has brought some good things, but definitely there’s a lot of concern right now.
‘I tell people, “Look, I live here too. I’m a Central Florida native.” I’m shocked at what I see. I get it.’
Parks is advocating for growth management, rather than the end of it altogether, which seems to be what many locals want.
