Key Takeaways
- Affordable lakefront homes can be found from Arkansas to New Hampshire that deliver waterfront access without coastal price tags.
- Tennessee and the Carolinas offer many affordable lakefront retirement areas and have low taxes.
- Many lake communities are within an hour of airports and major medical centers, offering a balance of tranquil living and convenient health care access.
Lakefront retirement doesn’t require a million-dollar budget. Across America, waterfront communities are offering retirees stunning views, active lifestyles, and health care access—with homes starting under $350,000.
From Arkansas’s gated lakeside villages to New Hampshire’s private beaches, these towns deliver the retirement dream without the coastal price shock. Tennessee’s zero state income tax sweetens the deal, while low property taxes across the South let your savings stretch further. Arkansas even exempts retirees from paying taxes on Social Security benefits.
Fast Fact
If lake life appeals to you, you aren’t alone. The latest Private Communities Registry survey found that lakefront properties rank third among active adults’ preferred locations.
1. Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Homes start at $100,000 in this 26,000-acre gated community spanning 11 recreational lakes and over 30 miles of walking trails. There are two lakeside beaches.
CHI St. Vincent Hospital’s 280-bed facility provides health care, while Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is about an hour away. The average home price is about $303,000.
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2. Lake Norman, North Carolina
North Carolina’s largest artificial lake offers 520 miles of shoreline and is about 30 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The median home in the area is about $491,000. Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital provides 24-hour emergency care, cardiology, and surgical services. Racing fans can reach Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR in under 20 minutes.
3. Tellico Village, Tennessee
Tellico Lake has 357 miles of shoreline and 15,560 acres of surface water. Homes in Tellico Village—about 45 minutes from Knoxville—average about $491,000.
Fort Loudoun Medical Center and UT Medical Center provide health care, and the McGhee Tyson Airport is about 35 minutes away.
4. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee
This active retirement area is 2,000 feet above sea level. Homes average about $306,000 and offer access to 11 spring-fed lakes, five golf courses, and an equestrian center.
Where To Retire magazine named it one of the 50 Best Master-Planned Communities.
5. Savannah Lakes Village, South Carolina
Set on Lake Thurmond with 25 miles of shoreline, this community offers homes that average about $421,490. Locals enjoy tennis, pickleball, pools, two lakefront golf clubs, and a recreation center.
Health care is nearby, thanks to a $3 million facility operated by Self Regional Hospital. Augusta Regional Airport is a little over an hour away.
6. Waterford of the Carolinas, North Carolina
With homes starting around $240,000, this gated community features 17 miles of lakefront shoreline near Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington International Airport is just 20 minutes away—that’s the closest airport on this list.
A medical center that’s nearly on-site and hospitals affiliated with Novant Health provide access to health care.
7. Eastman, New Hampshire
Homes average about $494,000 on this 345-acre private lake with six beaches and 3,700 protected woodland acres. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center provides health care nearby.
Manchester Regional Airport is 60 miles away, while a drive to Boston takes less than two hours.
Patrick Jennings / Getty Images
8. Lake Keowee, South Carolina
The communities near this lake offer homes from $300,000 to $1.5 million. Amenities include an 18-hole golf course and marina.
Self Regional Healthcare and Oconee Medical Center provide medical services, while Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is 45 minutes away.
Casey Johnson / Getty Images
9. Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
The “Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains” has 500 miles of shoreline with homes typically ranging from $300,000 to $700,000.
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital provides healthcare, with the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport 45 minutes away.
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10. Lake Conroe, Texas
Located 45 miles north of Houston, homes in active adult communities start in the high $300,000s, though homes nearby average about $189,569.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport is under 40 miles away. Texas charges no state income tax, letting retirees keep more of their Social Security and pension income.
