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I live in Springfield, MO....several lake systems here....some are too commercial and some are not.....My favorite...Stockton Lake, then Pom de Terre, then Beaver in AR, Bull shoals, lake of the ozarks...check out the us army corps of engineer website and it has alot of lake/river information.
Lake Mead just outside Las Vegas. Fabulously clear water, and it gets warm. Surprisingly, not crowded on the lake. Nearby Boulder City has a small town feel and gambling.
It's not warm year round but I like Lake St. Clair in Michigan. The city of Grosse Pointe runs along the lake with multi million dollar homes. It is beautiful. Very scenic.
FYI, about Lake Powell, its water level is less than half of what it should be. The water level is down 102 feet , so just be aware of that before making any plans. That whole area has been in drought conditions for about five years now. The lower water capacity is affecting the recreation there. Here is a website for more info: http://www.usbr.gov/uc/feature/drought.html
I'm curious....I have several relatives who've lived in FL forever. I was under the impression that you don't have a lot of swimming in lakes was because of alligators?
Researching the lake thing, it seems all the big lake states are in 4 season climates. Michigan is actually the biggest. They have more lakes and more registered voters than any other state. They are second in the country (Alaska being #1) for lake shoreline. The lakes are fairly clean and lake Michigan is much warmer in the summer on the Michigan side. Wisconson's Lake Mi shore is pretty cold. With a fairly low population, getting even lower you could probably afford a nice summer home on a lake and live somewhere else warm in the winter. Just a thought.
The price of lake houses in Michigan might even decrease since the state's economy is in the dumps.
Sometimes people will swim in the lakes that have alligators. I'm pretty sure I went swimming at Wakula Springs in Florida. Gators on one side of the spring, people on the other. However, that was a very heavily trafficked tourist attraction with life guards and whatnot. I think our favorite memory was the boat tour down the river when the boat guide said, "The closer that bird gets to that alligator, the happier the gator becomes."
If you're hoping to buy a house on a lake, you'd probably do decently in Michigan, Wisconsin, or Minnesota. Of course, it's always going to be pricey.
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, so just be aware of that before making any plans. That whole area has been in drought conditions for about five years now. The lower water capacity is affecting the recreation there. Here is a website for more info: 
