Clermont is the most populous city inLake County, within theU.S. state ofFlorida. The population was 43,021 in 2020.^[11] It is about 22 miles (35 km) west ofOrlando and 22 miles (35 km) southeast ofLeesburg. The city is largely residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and tourism-oriented restaurants and bars. It is part of theOrlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Clermont, Florida
City
Florida Citrus Tower in 2015
Motto(s):  "Choice of Champions" "The Gem of the Hills"[1][2][3][4]
Location inLake County and the state ofFlorida
Clermont Location of Clermont Show map of Florida Clermont Clermont (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates:28°32′58″N81°44′53″W / 28.54944°N 81.74806°W /28.54944; -81.74806
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Lake
Founded	1884[5][6][7]
Incorporated (town)	June 9, 1891-May 25, 1895[6][7]
Reincorporated (city)	December 28, 1916[6][7]
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
• Mayor	Tim Murry
• Council Members	Alison Strange, Tod Howard, Chandra Myers, and William Petersen
• City Manager (interim)	Rick Van Wagner
• City Clerk	Tracy Ackroyd Howe
• City Attorney	Christian Waugh
Area [8]
• Total	19.16 sq mi (49.61 km2)
• Land	18.07 sq mi (46.79 km2)
• Water	1.09 sq mi (2.82 km2)
Elevation [9]	141 ft (43 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	43,021
• Density	2,381.32/sq mi (919.45/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	34711-34715
Area code	352
FIPS code	12-12925[10]
GNIS feature ID	0280563[9]
Website	www.clermontfl.gov

Clermont is home to the 1956Florida Citrus Tower, one of Florida's early landmarks.^[12]

Before Europeancolonization andsettlement, the area which is today Clermont was originally inhabited by the indigenousTimucua people.Urriparacoxi was reportedly a chieftain in the area during the 1539-40Hernando de Soto expeditions.^[13] The population of the Timucua were whittled byepidemics of infectious diseases introduced by Europeans, then by attacks andslave raids largely conducted underSpanish colonial rule.^[14]

After the collapse of Timucua society, the indigenousSeminole people came to inhabit the region. In 1819, Florida was acquired by the United States fromSpain with theAdams–Onís Treaty. Four years later, the area of modern-day Clermont became a part of anIndian reservation under theTreaty of Moultrie Creek.^[15] The Seminole were ultimatelyethnically cleansed^[16] by federal troops in theSeminole Wars or driven out on theTrail of Tears. The region was geographically called the High Sand Hills by Americans, according to maps byWashington Hood.^[17] The first white settlers arrived in the area in 1853, soon after the Seminole Wars.^[14]

Clermont was founded in 1884, and named for theFrench birthplace of A.F. Wrotnowski, manager of the Clermont Improvement Company, a company to develop land.^[18] The municipality was incorporated as a town from June 9, 1891, then disbanded on May 25, 1895. It was reincorporated as a city on December 28, 1916.^[5][6][7]

Much of the county was developed as orange and other citrus groves, which was the basis of the economy through the mid-20th century. Apshawa Groves, which owned and worked large expanses of land in the county, became a major real estate company. Tourism also became increasingly important.^[19][20]

The groves, which were the namesake of the Citrus Tower, dwindled rapidly because of recurrent freezes and suburban development in the late 20th century and into the 2000s. The regional economy shifted from agricultural production to real estate. The population growth attracted numerous companies to the area.^[21][22]

From 2000 to 2020, the population grew more than 250 percent amid real estate development andurban sprawl inCentral Florida. This brought economic growth andbig-box retail stores. Clermont was described as one of the fastest-growing cities in Central Florida of the time.^[21] In spring 2010, the Clermont Landings shopping center opened with 20 shops and restaurants and the city's first cinema. Increased pollution from runoff and residential development has hurt the city's lakes and other natural resources.^[23]

Since 2001, whenOrlando Health, with Pure Athletics andUSA Triathlon, opened the National Training Center in Clermont, the city has been noted for its training facilities forOlympic and college athletes.^[24] The Center later added a nearby facility forSpecial Olympics Florida. In 2014, the city sought to market itself as a training center by adopting the slogan "Choice of Champions" and a flag withOlympic rings.^[25][26] Twenty athletes who trained in Clermont went to the2016 Rio Olympics;^[27] others went to the2024 Paris Olympics.^[28]

The city of Clermont is located at28°32′58″N81°44′53″W / 28.54944°N 81.74806°W /28.54944; -81.74806.

According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.5 square miles (30 km²), of which 10.5 square miles (27 km²) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) (8.54%) is water.^[8]

The Clermont area lies on the northern part of theLake Wales Ridge. There are rolling hills atypical of the Florida peninsula. Nearby are theClermont chain of lakes^[29] andLake Apopka.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to theKöppen climate classification, the City of Clermont has ahumid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

As of the2020 United States census, there were 43,021 people, 13,032 households, and 9,179 families residing in the city.^[35]

As of the2010 United States census, there were 28,742 people, 10,072 households, and 7,377 families residing in the city.^[36]

In 2010, the income per capita is $24,952, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $45,980.

The median home value in town is $227,510. Home appreciation was –21.40% during 2009.^{[citation needed]} Renters made up 23.21% of the population.^{[citation needed]} 8.33% of houses and apartments were unoccupied (vacancy rate).^{[citation needed]}

As of thecensus of 2000, there were 9,333 people, 3,995 households, and 2,736 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 343.5 people/km² (890 people/sq mi). There were 4,368 housing units at an average density of 160.8 units/km² (416 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 83.50%White, 12.08%African American, 0.48%Native American, 0.89%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 1.55% fromother races, and 1.49% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 5.71% of the population.

In 2000, there were 3,995 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% weremarried couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.73.

In 2000, in the city the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,290, and the median income for a family was $48,216. Males had a median income of $36,240 versus $26,571 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $21,099. About 6.3% of families and 7.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Thepublic school district for the City of Clermont isLake County Schools.

• Cypress Ridge Elementary School
• Lost Lake Elementary School
• Pine Ridge Elementary
• Sawgrass Bay Elementary School

• East Ridge Middle School
• Windy Hill Middle School

• Aurelia M. Cole Academy (former site of Clermont Middle School and Clermont High School)

• East Ridge High School

• Imagine South Lake Charter School
• Pinecrest Lakes Academy

• Real Life Christian Academy
• The Key to Learning
• Wesley Christian Academy
• Family Christian Center School
• Citrus Heights Academy

• Lincoln Park Education Center (formerly Clermont Elementary School)

Lake-Sumter State College and theUniversity of Central Florida have a joint-use campus in Clermont.^[37] The Lincoln Park Education Center offers courses from Lake-Sumter State College and Lake Technical College for students.^[38]

The Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont is staffed by theLake-Sumter State College and theLake County Library System.

A salesman wandered into town in 1904, and spoke promises of donating books to start a library if the town helped him sell hisChautauqua lectures to residents.^[39] Many town members with money to spare put forth what they could, excited at the prospect of a library. However, when it came time for the lectures only a few of the speakers showed; no salesman or books were present. Not all money was handed over; the cost for the last lecture was still available, and with that amount they began to organize their own library. This was hosted in the Montrose Street home of Mrs. Payson Pierce, with the collection of books open to the town on Saturday afternoons. Patrons paid 50 cents a year. The Clermont Library Club also hosted their meetings at Pierce's house. The growing collection was moved to Isiah Benson's Lake Avenue house in 1910, then to the Baptist Church the following year.^[40]

In the summer of 1914, the Friends of the Library raised $600 to erect a one-room building on 630 DeSoto Street, a lot donated by Alice Cooper. The library was funded by the club and its small circulating collection staffed by Clermont Women's Club volunteers until the city took over in the 1950s and the Cooper Memorial Library Association was formed to administer the public library. In 1980, a former bank building was purchased. A human chain of town volunteers passed the books, hand to hand, from the old to the new location.^[41] Mike Delaney, a Friends of the Library member, said, "It was an amazing honor to be part of the early book brigade when I was seven...It was an experience that I will never forget that brought the community together".^[39] In 1984, the building was expanded by more than 4,000 square feet, adding the Florida Room and Children's Room. In 1982, the Cooper Memorial Library joined the Lake County Library System, and is the only continuous member of that system.

Downtown Clermont has restaurants, shops, the local Art League, Clermont City Center, and City Hall.^[42]

The downtown's western area, known as Historic Village, includes sites such as the Townsend House, home to James and Sallie Townsend, the first African-American couple in Clermont. The building known as "Little Cooper" was moved to the Clermont Historic Village in 2009, and restored to be opened as a museum of local and world history.^[43] The Historic Village is maintained by the South Lake County Historical Society and the City of Clermont.^[44]

South Lake Hospital is the regional hospital of south Lake County.

The United States Triathlon National Training Center use to be located in Clermont.Duathlons,triathlons andcross country races are held at the facility.

Waterfront Park is located alongLake Minneola, The park includes picnic areas, a swimming area, fishing piers and a playground. There are rentals of paddle boards, kayaks and bicycles. A fitness trail that is part of a 40-mile system runs through the park.

The main roads through Clermont consist ofState Road 50 andU.S. Route 27.

Additionally, the public transit of LakeXpress serves routes along State Road 50 and South on US 27 towardsFour Corners.

• Sha'Carri Richardson, professionalOlympic track and field athlete
• Edmond Amateis, sculptor and educator
• Dale Barnstable, retired professional basketball player
• Chimdi Chekwa, formerNFL cornerback, former college football player
• Tra Blake, NFL official
• Andrew DeClercq, retired professional basketball player and current coach
• Kate DiCamillo, author of children's books^[45]
• Norm Duke, professional bowler on thePBA Tour, member of the PBA Hall of Fame
• Ryan Dungey, professional motocross racer
• Jahlane Forbes, soccer player who plays as a defender
• Tyson Gay, sprinter
• Shane Greene, professional baseball player
• Art Heyman, former professional basketball player
• Peter Hooten, actor
• Andy Jones, former NFL wide receiver, former college football atJacksonville University
• Brandon Larracuente, actor
• Kalup Linzy, video and performance artist
• Greg Lloyd Jr., former NFL linebacker
• Scott McLean, former NFL football linebacker
• Marvin Musquin, professional motocross racer who was born on December 30, 1989, inLa Reole, France
• Randy Pedersen, professional bowler on the PBA Tour, member of the PBA Hall of Fame, and bowling announcer
• Cassidy Rae, actor
• Rachel Recchia, American television personality who appeared on season 26 ofThe Bachelor, and co-starred in season 19 ofThe Bachelorette
• Stephanie Samedy, professional volleyball player
• Dean Saunders, American politician
• Beulah Rebecca Hooks Hannah Tingley, former member of theDemocratic National Committee, former Chair of theDemocratic Party of Florida, and former member of the National Committee
• Pamela Walton, murder victim discovered in Clermont on September 25, 1988
• Kaylin Whitney, American track and field athlete, specializing in sprinting events

• Official website
• http://www.cityofclermontfl.com