Groveland FL Real Estate: Lake County's Fastest-Growing City in 2026

If you've been priced out of Clermont or simply want more home for your money in the Lake County lake country, Groveland deserves a serious look. Five miles west of Clermont on the SR-50 corridor, Groveland has transformed from a quiet rural town into Lake County's fastest-growing city — and the 2026 market reflects exactly what's driving buyers there.

I've worked with buyers throughout western Lake County, and I keep seeing the same pattern: families who love the idea of Clermont discover Groveland, do the math, and don't look back.

Where Is Groveland, and Why Does It Matter?

Groveland sits at the junction of US-27 and SR-50 in western Lake County, approximately 40 miles west of downtown Orlando. It's bordered by Clermont to the east and Leesburg to the north. For a long time, that location felt like a liability — too far from everything. Two things changed that.

First, the Florida Turnpike extension dramatically improved access south toward Disney and the I-4 employment corridor. Second, the widening of SR-50 turned what had been a slow two-lane rural highway into a genuinely functional commuter route with retail development following closely behind. The intersection of US-27 and SR-50, once a rural crossroads with a gas station and not much else, is now anchored by national retailers, restaurants, and a growing commercial presence.

That infrastructure transformation is the backbone of everything happening in Groveland real estate today.

The Growth Story: From 8,000 to 18,000+

Groveland's population has more than doubled since 2010 — from roughly 8,000 residents to 18,000 and climbing. That kind of growth rate puts Groveland in a different category from most Florida suburbs, which have grown but not transformed.

The catalyst was land. Clermont's remaining vacant land became expensive quickly as demand surged. Groveland had large tracts of affordable land just west of that activity, and builders recognized the opportunity. D.R. Horton, Ryan Homes, and other national builders moved in with master-planned communities designed to capture buyers who wanted the Lake County lifestyle at a price that actually worked with their budget.

The result is a city that feels genuinely newer than most of what you'll find in Clermont — newer construction, newer amenities, newer roads — with the trade-off that the broader commercial and cultural infrastructure is still catching up.

The Major Communities in Groveland

Legacy

Legacy is Groveland's largest and most recognizable community, developed primarily by D.R. Horton. With 1,200+ homes at build-out, it functions as a self-contained master-planned neighborhood with a community pool, park, and playground. Home sizes range widely — from 1,600 square foot townhomes to 3,200+ square foot single-family homes — and pricing runs from roughly $320K to $480K depending on plan and lot.

For families who want the new-construction community feel with amenities included, Legacy is the go-to in Groveland. It's large enough that there's always activity, always kids outside, always something going on. The trade-off is that the scale of the community means it can feel less intimate than smaller neighborhoods.

Waterside Pointe

Waterside Pointe is Groveland's most distinctive community and the one that gets buyers genuinely excited. It's the only gated lakefront community in Groveland, built around Heritage Lake with direct lake access for residents. The amenities package includes a community pool, boat ramp, playground, and the kind of gated security that adds both real safety and perceived prestige.

Pricing runs $380K–$550K, reflecting the premium that lake access and gating command. If you're a buyer who specifically wants Florida lake life — fishing, paddleboarding, watching sunsets over the water — Waterside Pointe is worth the premium over Legacy. If lake access is nice but not essential, Legacy's value proposition is hard to beat.

Cherry Lake Landing

Cherry Lake Landing represents an older wave of Groveland development — primarily 1990s and 2000s construction with mature trees, established landscaping, and a neighborhood character that the newer communities are still building. Homes here run $280K–$420K and attract buyers who prefer a more established feel over the clean-slate sameness of new construction.

The mature tree canopy alone sets Cherry Lake Landing apart from most of what's been built in Groveland recently, and for buyers who prize that established character, it's genuinely appealing.

Independence and Newer Developments

Independence is another community-pool-and-amenities neighborhood in the $300K–$460K range that has drawn families looking for a balance of price, space, and community feel. Several additional communities are currently under development along the SR-50 and US-27 corridors, continuing the city's growth trajectory through 2026 and beyond.

What Drives Buyers to Groveland

The Price-Value Equation

The clearest driver is price. Groveland typically runs $30,000–$60,000 less than equivalent product in Clermont. A 4/2 single-family home with 2,200 square feet in Clermont's popular communities often lists in the $480K–$560K range. Comparable construction with similar amenities in Groveland's Legacy or Cherry Lake Landing neighborhoods comes in at $420K–$500K.

For buyers who are pre-approved at a specific number and find themselves $40K short of what they want in Clermont, Groveland closes that gap cleanly.

The Clermont Chain of Lakes and Lakeridge Winery

Western Lake County's lakes are a major draw, and Groveland residents have access to that lifestyle. Waterside Pointe has Heritage Lake directly in the community. Other residents use boat ramps and lake parks throughout the area.

The Lakeridge Winery on US-27 deserves a mention as well. Florida's largest winery, nationally recognized and genuinely worth visiting, has become an anchor for the area's lifestyle identity. Groveland may not have the boutique downtown that Mount Dora has, but Lakeridge gives it something distinctive — a weekend destination that draws visitors and gives residents a point of local pride. It's an underrated factor in the city's character.

Commute Reality

The commute math is important to understand clearly. Downtown Orlando is 45–55 minutes from most Groveland addresses in normal traffic. Disney and the I-4 corridor near the Clermont interchange are 35–40 minutes via the Turnpike. The Turnpike entrance near US-27 is a genuine advantage for anyone commuting south.

Most Groveland residents commute to Clermont (10 minutes), Leesburg (20 minutes), or use the Turnpike for Orlando-area employment. If your job is in downtown Orlando or at the I-Drive tourist corridor, Groveland is a long daily drive and you should go in with eyes open.

Remote-work flexibility has meaningfully changed this calculus, and many Groveland buyers in 2025–2026 are hybrid or fully remote workers who only need to be in Orlando once or twice a week.

Schools in Groveland

Most Groveland communities feed into South Lake High School in the Lake County school district. South Lake is a solid school with improving outcomes, competitive athletics, and a good community reputation. Lake County's overall district rating is lower than Orange, Seminole, or Osceola counties, so families relocating from those areas should research specific school grades rather than assuming county parity.

For families where school ratings are a primary decision driver, I'd encourage direct research on South Lake's current grade and comparing it to the specific schools in competing markets like Oviedo or Winter Garden. Lake County elementary schools in Groveland have shown improvement in recent years, and the trajectory matters as much as the current snapshot.

Groveland vs. Clermont: The Honest Comparison

Clermont has the more established identity — a genuine downtown, more dining options, higher-rated schools in some zones, and the full Clermont Chain of Lakes experience. It also costs more. Clermont listings in the $450K–$550K range are fiercely competitive; Groveland listings at the same price points often sit with more negotiating room.

Buyers who prioritize walkability, dining variety, and the established Lake County lifestyle should stretch for Clermont. Buyers who prioritize space, newer construction, lake access through Waterside Pointe, and monthly payment should look hard at Groveland.

I've had buyers who started in Clermont, couldn't make the math work, visited Groveland expecting a consolation prize, and ended up more excited about Groveland than they'd been about Clermont. The city has an energy that's easy to underestimate.

What Groveland Looks Like in 2026

The SR-50/US-27 intersection is visibly different from even 2020. Retail follows rooftops, and Groveland has added a lot of rooftops. More development is in the pipeline. The city's infrastructure investment has accelerated alongside growth, and Groveland is no longer the sleepy western edge of Lake County — it's an active, growing community with a rising identity.

If you're considering the Clermont area and want to understand how Groveland fits into the western Lake County market, or if you're comparing options across Minneola and points east, I'm happy to walk you through what I'm seeing on the ground. You can also use our sell your home guide if you're considering making a move from outside the area.

The value story in Groveland is real — and for the right buyer, it's one of the better-kept secrets in the Central Florida market right now.