The short answer
A move to Tennessee from Arizona changes almost everything you see out the window. Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. You trade desert for green ridges and a freshwater lake, dry heat for humidity, and a winter outdoor season for one that runs spring through fall. It is a cross-country move. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Key facts
- Tennessee National is on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville.
- Watts Bar Lake is a freshwater TVA reservoir with more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline.
- East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters. Summers are humid.
- Tennessee National is on Eastern time, two hours ahead of Phoenix in winter and three in summer.
- McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from the gate.
- Tennessee has no state income tax.
Arizona and East Tennessee are both places people move to on purpose. They could not look less alike. One is rock, sky and dry air. The other is water, trees and a porch with a ceiling fan.
So the question is not which one is better. It is which set of trade-offs you want. Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. Here is what changes when you come from the desert.
What is the biggest change coming from Arizona?
Water and green. At Tennessee National the lake is not a day trip. It is at the end of a golf cart ride.
Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River. TVA lists more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. It is freshwater, and it is a 72-mile navigable reservoir with locks that connect to the rest of the Tennessee River system.
Inside the gates there is a full-service marina with 140+ boat slips, plus pontoon cruises, kayaks and sunset runs. See marina and lake life.
It is green because it rains. That is the deal. You get trees, grass and a full lake. You also get wet days and humid air.
How do the seasons flip?
The outdoor calendar turns upside down. In the desert, winter is the season to be outside and summer sends you indoors. In East Tennessee, spring through fall is the outdoor season and winter is the quiet one.
| Season | In East Tennessee | Coming from Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Everything greens up. Dogwoods bloom. Golf and lake season start. | Pollen is real. Plan for it. |
| Summer | Warm and humid. Lake season. | It is not dry heat. Mornings and evenings are the good hours. |
| Fall | Leaves turn. Golf weather. | A season the low desert mostly skips. |
| Winter | Mild, with cold snaps and gray days. | You will want a real coat. Fewer golf days. |
East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters. Mild means cool and sometimes cold, not warm. For more detail, see four seasons at Tennessee National.
The golf calendar flips too. Tennessee National has a Greg Norman Signature course: 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. The prime months here are spring through fall. Winter has playable days, but not every day. Ask the club how winter play works. See golf.
How far is it, and how do you get back to Arizona?
It is a cross-country trip: a flight, or several days in the car.
Flying. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from the gate. Check current nonstop routes on the airport's site. If there is none from your airport, you connect through a hub. Our guide to flying to Tennessee National covers the airport.
Driving. I-40 runs from northern Arizona all the way across Tennessee to the Knoxville area. Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from I-75, which meets I-40 a short way north. Plan on several days, or ship the cars and fly.
The clock. Tennessee National is on Eastern time. Most of Arizona does not change its clocks, so you will be two hours ahead of Phoenix in winter and three hours ahead in summer. Calls with family take a little planning.
What changes on taxes and monthly bills?
The state income tax line is the one to check. Tennessee has no state income tax.
How much that matters depends on your own return. Find the state income tax line on your last Arizona return, and ask a CPA what happens to it if Tennessee becomes your primary home.
For everything else, compare your own bills. Summer electric, water, insurance, property tax and HOA dues all work differently here. Get real quotes for a Tennessee address and set them next to what you pay now. Do not trust anyone's averages, including ours.
How do you buy a homesite from across the country?
One trip at a time. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite, and on a cross-country move that is useful. You can choose the homesite on one trip and plan the house from Arizona at your own pace.
There are five ways to own: The Timbers (wooded homesites), lake homesites, waterfront homesites, Land & Home packages, and townhomes. Homes are custom built. Pricing is in the info pack.
What is daily life like?
Tennessee National is 1,492 gated acres and a golf cart community. Along with the course and the marina, there are 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year, a clubhouse with Kendall's restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, pickleball, tennis and walking trails. It is not age restricted.
Outside the gates:
- Knoxville is about 30 minutes away, with hospitals, restaurants and the University of Tennessee. See healthcare near Tennessee National.
- Farragut and Turkey Creek shopping are about 20 minutes.
- The Great Smoky Mountains are about an hour.
- Chattanooga is about an hour and a quarter.
The honest trade-offs
You may miss:
- Dry air. Summer here is humid. You may adjust. Some people never love it.
- Winter sun. East Tennessee winters have gray stretches. If blue sky in January is why you live in Arizona, think hard.
- Winter trail season. The best hiking months here are spring and fall.
- The food. Knoxville has plenty of good restaurants. It will not taste like home.
- Being close. Family in Arizona will be a flight and a time change away.
You may not miss:
- Summer indoors. July evenings here are spent on the water.
- Rock yards. Things grow here without much help.
Visit in the season that worries you most. If it is humidity, come in July. If it is winter, come in January. Then decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is East Tennessee humid compared with Arizona?
Yes. East Tennessee summers are warm and humid, not dry like Arizona. Tennessee National on Watts Bar Lake has four seasons and mild winters, and the rain is the reason the hills stay green. Visit in July to see how the humidity feels to you.
What time zone is Tennessee National in?
Tennessee National, in Loudon, Tennessee, is on Eastern time. Most of Arizona does not change its clocks, so Tennessee National is two hours ahead of Phoenix in winter and three hours ahead in summer.
Can you golf in winter at Tennessee National?
Some days, yes. East Tennessee winters are mild, so there are playable days, but the prime golf months at Tennessee National run spring through fall. Ask the club how the Greg Norman Signature course handles winter play.
How do you get from Arizona to Tennessee National?
You can fly into McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), about 35 minutes from Tennessee National, or drive across the country on I-40 over several days. Check current nonstop routes on the airport's site, because routes change.
Will a move from Arizona to Tennessee change your state taxes?
Ask a CPA before you count on a figure. Tennessee has no state income tax, so the line to compare is the state income tax on your own Arizona return. What changes for a move to Tennessee National depends on where your primary home ends up.
Facts about Tennessee National come from the community. Lake facts come from TVA. Rules, taxes, loans and insurance change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the right office or professional before you buy.