The best retirement communities in Tennessee offer a range of amenities to backdrops like breathtaking mountains. You can also reside in luxurious homes with most maintenance costs covered by homeowners association (HOA) fees. We cover some of the best retirement communities in the Volunteer State, along with what you can expect. Price ranges of homes and number of homes in each community are approximations and subject to change.
A financial advisor can provide expert guidance. You can use our free SmartAsset financial advisor matching service to find one.
Fairfield Glade
Price Range: Low $100k to to $900k +
Number of Homes: 4,763
Age Restriction: None
This lively retirement community in Crossville, Tennessee, earned the 2015 Seal of Approval from the American Association of Retirement Communities. And it continues to revamp its offerings. Residents can enjoy 12,000 acres of space here during their golden years.
One of the main attractions is the Fairfield Glade Community Center. It’s equipped with an art studio, a catering kitchen and a library. You can also stay active at its fitness center and gymnasium, as well as its basketball and tennis courts. In addition, you can relax at the sauna or take a swim at the indoor pool.
Outdoors, you can practice your swing at one of five championship golf courses. In addition, you’d have access to a boat launch along with 11 fishing lakes and two marinas.
Potential homebuyers have plenty of real estate options. Attached Lakeshore Terrace homes, for example, offer about 1,252 to 1,727 square feet of living space. The units feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a one-car garage for parking. Optional features include fireplaces and a back deck.
Tellico Village
Price Range: Low $400k to $2 million +
Number of Homes: 3,375
Age Restriction: None
Unlike most retirement communities, residents at the Tellico Village have access to three large recreational centers. The 6,500-square-foot Wellness Center contains a modern gym, two fitness studios and a sauna. Chota Recreation Center supports amenities like club rooms. Outside, you can enjoy heated pools. And what retirement community will be complete without plenty of opportunities to golf? You’d have access to 18 holes of golf at each of the Toqua, Kahite and Tanasi championship golf courses.
And there is plenty of opportunity to make new friends. The community supports more than 100 clubs and classes. Outdoors enthusiasts would enjoy hiking and kayaking throughout Eastern Tennessee.
Real estate options include townhomes and single-family estate homes offering glimpses of the Smoky Mountains and more.
Rarity Bay
Price Range: Low $300k to $1 million +
Number of Homes: 1,600
Age Restriction: None
Rarity Bay supports a very active retirement community in Tennessee. Situated by Tellico Lake, residents there have plenty of opportunities for recreational activities. The Rarity Bay Golf & Country Club members have access to an exclusive clubhouse, their own dining facilities and private meeting rooms.
Nearby, you can work out at the Enrichment Center which features yoga and pilates classes. It also hosts community events where you can make new friends. Plus, you can spend time with your four-legged friends at the dog park. Tellico Lake offers plenty of opportunities for fishing, boating and sailing.
Homebuyers also have a variety of options to choose from, including condos and waterfront homes and rentals.
Del Webb Lake Providence
Price Range: High $300k – $700k +
Number of Homes: 1,029
Age Restriction: 55+
Set around a 15-acre lake, this retirement community gives its residents a luxurious, resort-style lifestyle. At the heart of this active retirement destination is the 24,000-square-foot recreation center. Below are just a few of the amenities you can enjoy at this $15 million facility.
- Indoor and outdoor pools
- Fitness center
- Walking track
- Aerobics studio
- Arts-and-crafts studio
- Ballroom
And those who want to keep fit outdoors can take advantage of miles upon miles of walking and biking trails. Or, you can exercise with friends. Popular clubs include those for water aerobics, yoga, line dancing and tai chi.
Del Webb offers resale attached and single-family homes. Villas range from about 1,205 to 1,393 square feet. Units include two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached two-car garage. Meanwhile, the Hermitage and Centennial resale single-family models offer about 1,549 to 2,597 square feet. These detached residences feature two to four bedrooms, two to three bathrooms and two- to three-car garages.
StoneBridge
Price Range: Mid $300k – $500k +
Number of Homes: 800 homes
Age Restriction: None
Residents of StoneBridge can enjoy a low-maintenance lifestyle nestled in the town of Lebanon. The 8,800-square-foot clubhouse with a gym and a billiards room. Outdoors, you can bask in 140 acres of natural space with walking trails and a pristine pond. You can also take a dive in the Olympic-sized swimming pool.
In addition, an on-site activities manager makes sure people always have something fun to do. Popular clubs include those dedicated to motorcycle riding, gardening, arts and public service. Holiday parties and potlucks are also the norm at this homey community.
Real estate options span from attached villas and townhomes. A typical townhome features 1,545 square feet of living space with a first-floor master suite.
Lenox Place
Price Range: Low $300k to mid $300k
Number of Homes: 250
Age Restriction: 55+
Lenox Place provides its residents with a laid-back lifestyle. It features an outdoor patio and pool. You can also enjoy a game of bocce ball with your new friends or join them on one of the many walking trails. In addition, the clubhouse contains a modern gym with the latest equipment. You can also host events at the clubhouse party room.
Potential homebuyers can choose from several single-level residencies featuring two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. They offer around 1,220 to 1,490 square feet of space.
The Cloister at St. Henry
Price Range: Mid $200k to mid $400k
Number of Homes: 240
Age Restriction: 55+
The Cloister at St. Henry serves as a great place for people who want to enjoy a peaceful retirement community with easy access to cities like Nashville, Belle Meade and Green Hills. But this retirement community also has plenty to offer. At the center, lies the always active community clubhouse. Here, you can host parties in the dance area. Or you can relax and take in a nice book at the library. Residents can also access the nearby chapel.
Potential homeowners can choose from two- to three-bedroom homes with two- to three-bathrooms and attached garages. These offer about 1,250 to 1,400 square feet of living space.
Reid Hill Commons
Price Range: Mid $400k to high $500k
Number of Homes: 101
Age Restriction: 55+
This age-restricted community that sits just 30 minutes away from Nashville is the perfect retirement destination for those looking for a laid back, low maintenance life. Given its size, it’s also very easy to make new friends and join like-minded people within one of the many clubs the community supports. Those looking to stay active can hit the walking trails with their new neighbors. These lead to the relaxing picnic locations.
Your home options are also vast. These include single-family homes with about 1,564 to 1,976 square feet of living space encompassing two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached garage. Some homes also offer a flex room that can serve as a den or office.
Cottages at Pryse Farm
Price Range: High $300k to high $500k
Number of Homes: 99
Age Restriction: None
The Cottages at Pryse Farm provide residents with a warm, relaxing lifestyle at Farragut. Its main social hub is the 3,00-square-foot clubhouse. Here, residents get together for parties, clubs and other events. The common area features a large TV by a fireplace. They can also join their neighbors for a game of pool in the billiards room. They can also demonstrate their cooking skills at the nearby catering kitchen.
Outdoors, residents have access to a heated swimming pool. They can also take advantage of the many walking trails surrounded by scenic backdrops of the mountains.
Real estate options include single-family, ranch-style homes. They offer about 1,137 to 1,994 square feet of living space. These feature two-bedrooms and a two-car garage. Some also include a den.
The Village at Schilling Farms
Price Range: Mid $300k to high $300k
Number of Homes: 58
Age Restriction: 55+
Those looking for a small community with plenty of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors can find a comfortable nesting spot at The Village at Schilling Farms. It offers a link to the Nonconnah Greenbelt system of walking and biking trails, which expands from Collierville to the Mississippi River.
The community prides itself on providing its residents with a maintenance-free community. According to its website, it allows you to “enjoy the equity, amenities and advantages of owning a home, without all the time and effort of maintaining one.” In fact, the homeowners association takes care of exterior maintenance and upkeep of common areas.
The main cultural hub is the private clubhouse. Here, friends get together for parties and seasonal celebrations. Outside, residents can relax in the pool. They also have access to a catering kitchen. Home options include attached units with energy-saving upgrades and walk-in closets.
The Cottages at Bent Creek
Price Range: Mid $400k to high $400k
Number of Homes: 33
Age Restrictions: 55+
This retirement community provides an extra friendly atmosphere as it shares its amenities with the wider Bent Creek community. These include a large clubhouse, an outdoor pool with a splash pool and a patio. You can also pound several walking trails. In addition, the area provides several hiking opportunities. And if you’re in the mood for city entertainment, you’d be just 30 minutes away from Nashville. But the town also sits near major dining and shopping centers.
Your real estate options include attached homes near multiple medical centers, including CareNow and the Williamson Medical Center.
Cottage Grove at Twelve Stones
Price Range: High $300k to mid $400k
Number of Homes: 101
Age Restrictions: 55+
This low-maintenance community stands as a popular retirement community in Tennessee. Its proximity to Nashville and I-65 make it a great destination for those who want a combination of a relaxing suburb with easy access to major cities.
The luxurious clubhouse boasts an exercise room as well as a multi-purpose room perfect for festivities. Scenic walking and biking trails surround the community for the adventurous to explore.
Plus, residents will have plenty of time to relax here as the homeowners association fee covers most exterior maintenance, landscaping and garbage removal.
Home options are also vast. You can choose from single-family homes with several floor plans that provide about 1,338 to 1,490 square feet of living space. These feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached two-car garage. Some homes offer bonus rooms for extra storage or entertaining space.
Academy Place
Price Range: Low $300k to high $300k
Number of Homes: 114 Homes
Age Restrictions: 50+
The Academy Place retirement community in Tennessee is another great spot for nature lovers. The area provides easy access to several walking and biking trails as well as hiking destinations. You can also relax by the patio and outdoor pool. Residents often get together for low-key socializing at the clubhouse.
The homeowners’ association covers exterior maintenance as well as insurance.
Attached residences offer about 1,763 to 2,205 square feet of living space, spanning two to four bedrooms, two to four bathrooms and two assigned carport spaces. Homeowners also get a private courtyard to enjoy the Tennessee climate. In addition, most homes feature hardwood floors, main-level bedrooms and fireplaces.
Tips on Retirement Planning
- If you’re still not sure where you want to retire in the Volunteer State, you can check out our study of the best places to retire in Tennessee.
- One of the best ways you can build a personal retirement roadmap is by working with a financial advisor. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Drazen Zigic, ©iStock.com/Halfpoint, ©iStock.com/Charday Penn