Clermont's jobless rate fell to 4.7% in September from 5.1% in August, BLS figures show. Lake County dropped to 4.6%, still above Florida's 4.2%.
Clermont’s unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in September, down from 5.1% in August. It is the city’s lowest monthly rate since September 2025.
The figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ local area unemployment data for Clermont, in the latest release. The September numbers are preliminary and can be revised next month.
About 1,053 Clermont residents were out of work and looking for a job in September. That is 77 fewer than in August. The number with jobs rose by 135, to 21,123.
Lake County fell too
Across Lake County, the rate dropped to 4.6% from 4.9% in August, according to the BLS county series.
The county’s September figures:
| Measure | September 2026 | August 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.9% | 4.5% |
| Unemployed | 9,224 | 9,778 | 8,928 |
| Employed | 189,638 | 188,424 | 189,425 |
| Labor force | 198,862 | 198,202 | 198,353 |
The month brought 1,214 more county residents into work. Over the year, though, the picture is flat. Employment is up 213 from September 2025 and the rate is 0.1 point higher.
Clermont followed the same pattern. Its rate was 4.6% in September 2025, so September 2026 is 0.1 point higher than a year earlier.
How Clermont compares
Clermont and Lake County remain above most of the region. September rates, not seasonally adjusted:
- Clermont: 4.7%
- Lake County: 4.6%
- Orange County: 4.2% (BLS series)
- Polk County: 5.2% (BLS series)
- Florida: 4.2% (BLS series)
- United States: 4.0% (BLS series)
Lake County’s rate this year peaked at 5.4% in January.
There is no figure for October 2025. The BLS marks that month as unavailable because of the 2025 lapse in federal appropriations.
What it means for you
- The rate counts where people live, not where they work. A Clermont resident who commutes to a job in Orange County counts as employed in Clermont.
- It counts only people looking for work. Retirees and others not seeking a job are left out of the labor force.
- Expect small revisions. The BLS revises each month’s preliminary local figures when the next month comes out.
- Job help: CareerSource Central Florida runs the state’s job centers for Lake County.
For the cost side of living here, see our pages on home prices and property taxes.
Have your say