Tennessee National vs Lake of the Ozarks: How Do They Compare?

If you live in the Midwest and want a lake place, Lake of the Ozarks is probably the first name that comes up. It is close to home, it is well known, and you can be on the water by Friday night.

Tennessee National is a longer reach. It is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee. Nobody drives there from Missouri for a quick weekend. People look at it when the question changes from "where do we spend Saturdays" to "where do we want to live."

How is Tennessee National different from Lake of the Ozarks?

Lake of the Ozarks is a vacation lake you buy a place on, and Tennessee National is a single community you move into. One is a whole lake with several towns and many kinds of property. The other is 1,492 gated acres with its own golf course, marina and social calendar.

Where is each one?

Lake of the Ozarks is in central Missouri, and Tennessee National is in East Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. The two are a long day's drive apart.

Lake of the Ozarks sits in the middle of Missouri. For many Midwest owners it is a lake you drive to for the weekend, and that is its great strength.

Tennessee National is in Loudon, Tennessee. I-75 is about 10 minutes from the gate. Knoxville is about 30 minutes. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes, and the Great Smoky Mountains are about an hour.

Because of the distance, Tennessee National does not work as a quick weekend place from Missouri. It works as a move, or as a second home you fly or drive to for longer stays. Our guide to buying at Tennessee National from out of state covers how that goes.

How does the water compare?

Both are big river reservoirs, each with its own owner and rules.

Watts Bar Lake is a 72-mile navigable TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River, with more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. Locks connect it to the rest of the Tennessee River system. Summer pool runs about 740 to 741 feet. The winter minimum is 735 feet. That is a seasonal change of about 5 to 6 feet, and TVA posts current numbers on its lake level page.

Lake of the Ozarks is on the Osage River. Ameren Missouri runs Bagnell Dam and manages the lake level and the shoreline. Ask Ameren Missouri how the level changes through the year and what a dock permit involves for the property you like.

At Tennessee National, the simple way onto the water is the marina: full service, with 140+ boat slips. Ask about slip availability. If a private dock matters to you, ask what is possible on a specific homesite and what TVA requires. Do not assume on either lake.

What is everyday life like at each?

Lake of the Ozarks is known as a vacation and weekend lake, with resorts, homes and condos in several lake towns. If that is the life you want, start there.

Tennessee National is built around the people who live there. It has 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year, things like trivia, live music, wine tastings and holiday parties. Inside the gates you will find a clubhouse with Kendall's restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, pickleball, tennis, walking trails and a lakefront boardwalk in the Marina District. See social life for more.

East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters. Tennessee National is not age restricted.

How does golf compare?

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

Around Lake of the Ozarks, golf means picking from courses around the lake. Ask each one whether it is public, resort or private, and how far it is from the house you are looking at.

What drives the cost on each side?

On an open lake, cost follows the water and the building. Is the place on the water? Is it a house or a condo? How old is it, what shape is the dock in, and what does the association charge? A local agent can show you the current range at Lake of the Ozarks.

At Tennessee National, cost depends on which of the five ways to own you choose: The Timbers (wooded homesites), lake homesites, waterfront homesites, Land & Home packages, or townhomes. Homes are custom built and go through design review. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite, so you can hold the land while you wind things down at home. Ask about association dues, club membership and slip fees. Pricing is in the info pack. Get the info pack.

Taxes are a question for a professional. Tennessee has no state income tax. Missouri's rules are different. Owning a second home in Tennessee is not the same as becoming a Tennessee resident, so ask a CPA what would apply to you. Our Missouri to Tennessee moving guide covers the practical steps.

Who should look at which?

Look at Lake of the Ozarks if:

• You want a lake you can reach on a Friday night from a Midwest home.
• You want a vacation lake with resorts and lake towns.
• You want to choose among several towns and many kinds of property.

Look at Tennessee National if:

• You plan to live at the lake most of the year, not just visit.
• You want a golf course, a marina and a social calendar inside one gate.
• You want a city and an airport close by.
• You plan to make Tennessee your home state.

What should you check in person?

Check the months a vacation never shows you.

• Visit in the off-season. A week in February tells you more about living somewhere than a weekend in July. Do it at both lakes.
• Fly in once. Land at McGhee Tyson and time the drive to the gate.
• Spend a plain Tuesday. Run errands in Loudon. Drive to Knoxville. That is what most of your year looks like.
• Meet people. Ask about a meal at Kendall's and whether an event is on while you visit. The neighbors are a big part of what you are buying.
• Get the costs in writing. Dues, club, slip, insurance and property tax, for both places.

Details change. Confirm current lake levels, dock rules, fees and listings with Ameren Missouri, the county and the community or association you are considering.

The honest trade-off

Tennessee National is far from the Midwest. If the people you want at the lake live a short drive from Lake of the Ozarks, a move to Tennessee puts a long drive or a flight between you. That is a real cost, and no golf course fixes it.

Tennessee National also has one set of standards, and homes go through design review. If you want to do things entirely your own way, an open lake suits you better.

If you are choosing where to live rather than where to vacation, come see East Tennessee before you decide. Stay a few days, not a few hours.

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.