Lake Tuscaloosa: homes, schools, lake rules and commute

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Sources: the City of Tuscaloosa’s lakes page, District 3 specific plan (April 2009), city limits map and parks layer; Tuscaloosa City Schools’ 2026-27 school zone map; the Alabama State Department of Education’s state report card; Zillow Research; and OpenStreetMap.

Lake Tuscaloosa is the city-owned reservoir north of town, and the narrow band of land around it is where Tuscaloosa’s lakefront neighborhoods are. The city’s plan describes the area as the lake and the surrounding properties within city limits, with newer developments such as The Lakes at North River, Crown Point and Greystone beside the water. Two smaller city lakes, Lake Nicol and Harris Lake, sit to the east.

What this means for you

• Zoned high school: Northridge High School inside city limits (2025 state report card: 84, a B).
• Home value: $483,661 in ZIP 35406 in September 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
• Nearest interstate exit: I-20/59 Exit 73 (U.S. 82), about 15 miles by road from the middle of the lake area.
• Who to call: City of Tuscaloosa Lakes Division, 3650 Lake Nicol Road, 205-248-5660, weekdays 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Tuscaloosa City Schools, 205-759-3700.

Part of our Tuscaloosa neighborhoods guide.

Where it is

According to the city’s lakes page:

The city’s District 3 specific plan says the district takes in Lake Tuscaloosa and the narrow band of land around it inside city limits, and calls the lakes assets of significant importance to the city as sources of water supply and protected land. (Council district lines have been redrawn since the 2009 plan.)

City limits wind around the shore. Only about a fifth of the land in the box we drew around the lake is inside the city; the rest is unincorporated Tuscaloosa County or Northport, so check an address on the city’s limits map. Inside the city, most of the land is in ZIP code 35406 and much of the western shore is in 35475.

Building on the lake

The city’s Lakes Division keeps the lakes safe for recreation and protects them as drinking water sources. It issues and inspects permits for dredging, tree removal and structures such as docks on city property along the lakes, and it publishes a dock electrical inspection checklist and wake ballast restrictions. Call 205-248-5660 or email lakes@tuscaloosa.com before any work at the water’s edge.

Schools

Tuscaloosa City Schools’ boundaries follow city limits. On its 2026-27 zone map, nearly every point we checked inside city limits falls in one zone:

Scores are each school’s 2025 overall score, for the 2024-25 school year, on the Alabama State Department of Education’s state report card. Lake homes outside city limits are served by the Tuscaloosa County School System, 205-758-0411. More in our schools guide.

Home values

The typical home value in ZIP 35406 was $483,661 in September 2026, up 1.7% from $475,376 in September 2025, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. In 35475 it was $339,539, up 0.7%. The index is a modeled typical value for the middle third of homes, not a sale price, and neither ZIP code is only lakefront. The citywide figure was $243,681. More in our home prices guide.

Parks and landings

City sites around the lakes on the city’s parks layer:

• Harris-Nicol Water Recreation and Trails, with a pavilion.
• Carrolls Creek Island, with the Carrolls Creek Landing.
• Sharpe’s Landing, Turkey Creek Boat Landing and Binion Creek Landing Park, city boat landings.
• Treasure Island County Park, a city-owned site at the north end.

The city’s water safety page has lake safety information. More in our parks and trails guide.

Getting around

• Interstate: I-20/59 Exit 73 (U.S. 82), about 15 miles by road from the middle of the lake area, crossing the Black Warrior River.
• Downtown: about 14 miles by road to City Hall, 2201 University Blvd.
• Airports: Tuscaloosa National Airport about 17 miles, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International about 70 miles. Distances are on the OpenStreetMap road network, measured with the OSRM routing engine, not drive times, and vary a great deal around a lake this size.
• Buses: we found no Tuscaloosa Transit Authority stops near the lakes on TTA’s route pages.

More in our getting around guide.

Groceries and everyday stores

From OpenStreetMap, the nearest stores to the western shore are on Highway 69 North, outside city limits: Publix, 13556 Highway 69 North, plus an Aldi and CVS Pharmacy nearby. On the eastern side, the Publix at 4851 Rice Mine Road Northeast is the nearest supermarket.

How we drew this area

The area is the city land around Lake Tuscaloosa that the District 3 plan describes. City limits, ZIP codes and school zones come from points spaced about 1,000 feet apart, checked against the city’s limits layer and the district’s 2026-27 zone layer on Oct. 17, 2026. Store and place locations are © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions

How big is Lake Tuscaloosa?

Lake Tuscaloosa covers 5,885 acres and holds 40 billion gallons of water, according to the City of Tuscaloosa. It was completed in 1970 by damming the North River and is the city’s main source of drinking water.

What schools serve homes on Lake Tuscaloosa?

Inside city limits, nearly every point we checked is zoned for Rock Quarry Elementary, Northridge Middle and Northridge High on Tuscaloosa City Schools’ 2026-27 map. Their 2025 state report card scores were 99, 87 and 84. Lake homes outside city limits are served by Tuscaloosa County Schools.

Do I need a permit to build a dock on Lake Tuscaloosa?

The city’s Lakes Division issues and inspects permits for dredging, tree removal and structures on city property along the lakes. Call 205-248-5660 or email lakes@tuscaloosa.com.

What is the typical home value around Lake Tuscaloosa?

Most of the city land around the lake is in ZIP code 35406, where the Zillow Home Value Index was $483,661 in September 2026. The western shore is largely in 35475, at $339,539.