Tennessee National vs Lake Norman: How Do They Compare?

If you are shopping for lake living in the Carolinas, Lake Norman is probably first on the list. It is Charlotte's lake, and the towns around it are part of the Charlotte area.

Tennessee National is a different kind of place. It is one private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. Most people who weigh the two are really asking one thing: do I still need Charlotte every week? Answer that and the rest gets easier.

How is Tennessee National different from Lake Norman?

Tennessee National is one gated community, and Lake Norman is a lake with several towns and many neighborhoods on it. On Lake Norman you choose a town, then a neighborhood, then a club and a place for the boat. At Tennessee National those pieces sit inside one gate.

Where is each one, and what is nearby?

Lake Norman is north of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tennessee National is in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. That one fact shapes most of the decision.

Around Lake Norman you will find towns such as Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Mooresville. Charlotte's jobs, hospitals and airport are close. That closeness is the main draw.

From Tennessee National, I-75 is about 10 minutes away and Knoxville is about 30. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes. Farragut and the Turkey Creek shopping area are about 20. The Great Smoky Mountains are about an hour.

The two are several hours apart by road, with the mountains in between. So this is not a choice between two weekend spots. It is a choice between staying in the Charlotte area and making East Tennessee your base. Our Charlotte to Tennessee National guide covers the trip and the move.

How does the water compare?

Both are freshwater reservoirs, and on both, someone other than the homeowner sets the lake level and the dock rules.

Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River, with more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. It is a 72-mile navigable reservoir, and locks connect it to the rest of the Tennessee River system. A boat that leaves the marina can keep going.

TVA holds the summer pool at about 740 to 741 feet. The winter minimum is 735 feet. That is a seasonal change of about 5 to 6 feet. For current readings, use TVA's lake level page.

Lake Norman is on the Catawba River, and Duke Energy manages it. Ask Duke Energy how the level moves through the year and what a dock permit involves for the property you like. Numbers for Lake Norman should come from Duke Energy, not from us.

How does golf compare?

Tennessee National has one golf course, and it is inside the gates. It is a Greg Norman Signature course: 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. Tennessee National is a golf cart community, so the cart is how you get around. Membership questions go to the club. See golf at Tennessee National.

Around Lake Norman, golf means choosing among the clubs and courses in the area. Each one has its own membership terms and its own drive from your house, so ask before you assume.

What drives the cost on each side?

On Lake Norman, cost follows what it follows on any metro lake: how close you are to the city, whether the house is on the water, its age and condition, and what the neighborhood and the club charge. A local agent can show you the current range.

At Tennessee National, cost starts with which of the five ways to own you choose:

• The Timbers (wooded homesites)
• Lake homesites
• Waterfront homesites
• Land & Home packages
• Townhomes

Homes are custom built, so the house you design matters as much as the land under it. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. Finished homes are listed on the properties page. Ask about association dues, club membership and slip fees so you compare the full picture. Pricing is in the info pack. Get the info pack.

On taxes, keep it simple. Tennessee has no state income tax. North Carolina's rules are different. Which state taxes your income generally depends on where you legally live, so ask a CPA how a move would change your own return.

Who should look at which?

Look at Lake Norman if:

• You work in Charlotte or need to be there every week.
• You fly often and want a big airport close by.
• You want to pick among several towns and many neighborhoods.

Look at Tennessee National if:

• Charlotte is no longer a weekly need for you.
• You want golf, a marina, a clubhouse and a full social calendar inside one gate.
• You want to design and build your own home, on your own timeline.
• You plan to make Tennessee your home state.

What should you check in person?

Spend a weekend at each, and do the same things at both.

• Get on the water on a summer Saturday. Go out at the hour you would really use the lake. Notice how each one feels to you.
• Drive a normal Tuesday. From the gate at Tennessee National, time the trip to Knoxville, to the airport and to the grocery store.
• See the clubhouse. Kendall's is the restaurant at Tennessee National. Ask about a meal there, and whether trivia or live music is on while you visit.
• Ask the hard questions. Ask the club about golf membership. Ask about dues. Ask the marina about slip availability.
• Check the dock rules. Duke Energy for Lake Norman. At Tennessee National, ask what is possible on a specific waterfront homesite and what TVA requires.
• Read the design standards. Homes at Tennessee National go through design review. Make sure the house in your head fits.

Details change. Confirm current lake levels, permits, club terms and neighborhood rules with Duke Energy, the town or county, and the community you are considering.

The honest trade-off

Knoxville is a smaller city than Charlotte, and McGhee Tyson is a smaller airport than Charlotte's. If your work or your family needs Charlotte every week, Tennessee National will feel far, and Lake Norman is the practical choice.

If that tie has loosened, the trade looks different. You give up a big metro at your door. You get 1,492 gated acres, a golf course, a marina, 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year, with Knoxville about 30 minutes away. See both before you decide. If Lake Wylie is also on your list, we compare that one in Tennessee National vs Lake Wylie.

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.