Lake County

Where Is Lake County?

Lake County is located northwest of Orange County and north of Polk County. It covers approximately 1,157 square miles. The county is named for its abundance of lakes, with over 1,000 named lakes within its borders.

Lake County is bordered by Orange and Seminole counties to the east, Volusia County to the north and northeast, Sumter County to the northwest, and Polk County to the south and southwest. The Harris Chain of Lakes connects to the St. Johns River system.

Major Communities

• Clermont is the largest city in southern Lake County, known for its rolling terrain, lakes, and growing residential communities. It is one of the more popular relocation destinations for buyers looking for new construction with lake access.
• Mount Dora is known for its charming historic downtown, antique shops, festivals, and a walkable Main Street. The city sits on a ridge with some of the higher elevations in Central Florida.
• Minneola sits along the SR 50 corridor, offering a mix of newer developments and established neighborhoods with easy access to both Clermont and the I-4 corridor.
• Tavares is the county seat and is known as "America's Seaplane City" due to its seaplane base on Lake Dora. The city has an active downtown area along the lakefront.
• The Villages (Lake County portion) is one of the largest 55+ communities in the country, extending from Sumter County into Lake County.
• Leesburg is one of the older cities in the county, located near the Harris Chain of Lakes.

Terrain and Geography

Lake County has some of the most varied terrain in Central Florida. The Clermont area features rolling hills, some of the highest elevations in peninsular Florida (the Citrus Tower in Clermont sits at approximately 250 feet above sea level), and a landscape that feels different from the flatter terrain found in most of the region.

The county's namesake lakes range from small ponds to large recreational lakes. The Harris Chain of Lakes, the Clermont Chain, and numerous other lake systems provide boating, fishing, and waterfront living opportunities.

Housing and New Construction

Lake County has become a significant new-construction market. The Clermont area, the Minneola corridor, and communities along the SR 50 and US 27 corridors have active building from multiple builders. Price points in Lake County are generally lower than comparable communities in Orange County, which has attracted many relocating buyers.

In 2026 the county's new-home market is anchored by D.R. Horton and Lennar (the top two builders by new-home permit volume in the Orlando area), with KB Home, Pulte, Mattamy, David Weekley, and others also active. Clermont-area listings start around $360,000 for townhomes and smaller homes and average near $553,000 to $569,000 across the city, while Leesburg is the county's most affordable pocket, with new homes commonly between about $272,000 and $360,000. Active communities include Wellness Ridge, Lakehaven Estates, Windsor Cay, and the Reflections at Olympus site in pre-sale, plus communities such as Arbor Park and Silver Lake in the Leesburg area. Prices change by phase and quarter, so confirm the current sheet with each builder.

Things to Consider

• Commute times to Orlando employment centers are generally longer from Lake County communities. A drive from Clermont to downtown Orlando typically takes 35 to 55 minutes depending on traffic.
• Some Lake County communities are on well and septic systems rather than municipal water and sewer. Verify utility infrastructure for any property.
• The rolling terrain in the Clermont area can mean some properties have steeper grades than typical Florida lots.
• Lake County's northern areas (Mount Dora, Tavares, Eustis) have a different character and longer commutes than the southern communities near the I-4 corridor.

Schools and Education

Lake County Schools serves Clermont, Mount Dora, Tavares, Leesburg, Eustis, Groveland, Minneola, and surrounding communities. Contact: www.lake.k12.fl.us, (352) 253-6500.

For the 2026-27 school year, the district continued planning a high school and elementary school for the Wellness Way corridor with projected openings in the early 2030s, and runs an open enrollment window from June 1 to June 30 each year. A new K-8 academy opened in 2025, and the district prepared Minneola Horizon Academy, a K-8 with an engineering and coding focus, to open for 2025-26.

School zones are address-based and can change. Verify the assignment for any specific address on the Lake County Schools website.

What's New in Lake County (September 2026)

These are verified developments from the past year that can affect a relocation decision. Planned projects are labeled as planned until construction starts. For the full rundown, see the Central Florida news page.

• Wekiva Parkway complete: The parkway fully opened in January 2024, completing Central Florida's beltway. FDOT reported improved commute times in April 2025, and the three wildlife crossings were completed in December 2025. The program widened seven miles of SR 46 in Lake and Seminole counties and rebuilt the US 441/SR 46 interchange in Mount Dora.
• US 27 improvements: FDOT resurfaced US 27/SR 25 from CR 33 to Middlesex Road (estimated completion in spring 2026), and a widening of US 441/US 27/SR 500 from four to six lanes in Leesburg is programmed.
• Wellness Way: The roughly 15,000-acre high-tech corridor southeast of Clermont continues to grow, anchored by the Olympus biotech campus. In July 2026 the school district advanced a master plan for a Wellness Way high school and elementary school, with projected openings in the early 2030s; the district owns the elementary site and is working with Lake County and the City of Clermont to secure a high school site. The planned SR 516 toll corridor would connect the area toward Horizon West.
• Mount Dora: Lake County approved the 550-acre Mount Dora North and South projects along SR 46 in December 2025, adding residential and commercial development in the Wolf Branch Innovation District.
• Healthcare: AdventHealth Minneola opened in December 2025, an 80-bed hospital employing about 400 people and expanding care options for southern Lake County.
• New construction: The Clermont, Minneola, and Groveland corridors remain among the region's most active new-construction areas, with new phases continuing from multiple national builders. Taylor Morrison's Esplanade at McKinnon Grove in the Wellness Way corridor is adding about 650 homes, and multiple builders are selling in the Wellness Ridge, Lakehaven, and Windsor-area communities.

Verification: FDOT project pages, Lake County government releases, WESH, and local media. Last reviewed September 9, 2026.