Tennessee National vs Lake Guntersville: How Do They Compare?

Lake Guntersville and Watts Bar Lake are cousins. Both are TVA reservoirs on the Tennessee River. Guntersville is in northeast Alabama. Watts Bar is in East Tennessee, and Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on it, in Loudon, about 30 minutes from Knoxville.

So the water is alike. What you buy is not.

What is the difference between Lake Guntersville and Tennessee National?

Lake Guntersville is a lake you buy a house on, and Tennessee National is a community you join that sits on a lake. Around Guntersville you shop individual lake houses, lots and lakeside neighborhoods. At Tennessee National the golf course, the marina and the clubhouse are inside one gate.

Details about Lake Guntersville change. Confirm current lake levels, dock rules and listings with TVA and a local agent before you decide.

Are they the same kind of lake?

Yes, in the ways that matter to a boater. Both are main-river TVA lakes with navigation locks, and both are part of the same river system. TVA holds its main-river lakes steadier through the year than its tributary storage lakes.

Watts Bar Lake has more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. Its level changes about 5 to 6 feet between summer and winter. For Guntersville, check TVA's lake level page for current numbers. Our guide to Watts Bar Lake levels explains what to ask.

TVA's shoreline rules apply on both lakes. So the dock question is the same in either state. Ask TVA what a permit would allow on the specific lot before you count on a dock. At Tennessee National, ask what is possible on a specific waterfront homesite and what TVA requires.

One difference in reputation: Guntersville is a lake anglers know well. If fishing is the center of your plan, give it real weight.

Which city do you want nearby?

Lake Guntersville looks to Huntsville. Tennessee National looks to Knoxville. That may be the simplest way to choose.

From the gate at Tennessee National, Knoxville is about 30 minutes, McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes and I-75 is about 10 minutes. The Great Smoky Mountains are about an hour away and Chattanooga is about an hour and a quarter.

If your work, your doctors or your relatives are in north Alabama, that matters more than any amenity list. Time the drives you would actually make.

What about golf and neighbors?

Tennessee National has one Greg Norman Signature golf course inside the gates: 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. It is a golf cart community. Golf membership questions go to the club, and the golf page is the place to start.

Community is built into the place. There are 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year, and you run into people at the clubhouse, the course and the marina.

Around Lake Guntersville, life is more independent. You make your own calendar, and what is close depends on the shore you pick. Plenty of buyers want exactly that. Ask what is near the shore you like, including golf.

What drives the cost at each?

On an open lake, price follows the water, the dock and the house. A local agent can show you how those price out around Guntersville today.

At Tennessee National, the cost question starts with the five ways to own: The Timbers (wooded homesites), lake homesites, waterfront homesites, Land & Home packages and townhomes. Homes are custom built and go through design review. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. Pricing is in the info pack.

The state line matters for taxes too. Tennessee has no state income tax. Alabama's rules are different. A CPA can compare the two for your situation. Our guide to moving to Tennessee from Alabama covers the basics.

Who should look at Lake Guntersville?

Look at Lake Guntersville if north Alabama is your home base. For example:

• Fishing comes first.
• Your work or relatives are in Huntsville or nearby.
• You want a standalone lake house and your own schedule.
• You would rather build your own social life than join one.

If you are also weighing a lake farther south, see Tennessee National vs Lake Martin.

Who should look at Tennessee National?

Look at Tennessee National if you want the lake to come with a community. For example:

• Golf is part of the plan.
• You want a marina and a course inside the gates.
• You want Knoxville as your city.
• You want clubs, events and neighbors without organizing them yourself.

What should you check in person?

Check the same things at both.

1. Ask TVA what a shoreline permit would allow on the lot you like.
2. Look at the shoreline in winter as well as summer.
3. Ask where the boat will live and what is open right now.
4. Time the drive to the city, the airport and the hospital you would use.
5. Put the costs side by side, in writing: price, HOA fees, dock or slip costs, property tax and insurance.

The honest trade-off

Lake Guntersville is a lake. Tennessee National is a lake community. They are less in competition than they look.

If you want to own a piece of shoreline and be left alone, Tennessee National is the wrong fit. It has neighbors close by, an HOA and design review. If you want water, golf and people on 1,492 gated acres about 30 minutes from Knoxville, go and see it in person.

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.