America’s Pickleball Powerhouses: Pickleball has quickly become the fastest-growing sport in the United States, with over 48 million players nationwide. A new study ranks Vermont as the most pickleball-obsessed state, based on court availability, online search interest, and Google Trends data. Louisiana ranks last, showing the least enthusiasm for the sport.
Pickleball’s Popularity Soars Nationwide
The study examined all 50 states using a Pickleball Obsession Index. The ranking considered the number of courts per 100,000 residents, Google search volume for pickleball-related terms, and Google Trends interest scores. Vermont emerged as the top state, while Louisiana ranked at the bottom.
Top Five Most Pickleball-Obsessed States
- Vermont – With 10.9 pickleball courts per 100,000 residents, Vermont leads the nation. It ranks 10th in Google Trends interest (49/100) and records 15,359 annual online searches per 100,000 people, securing an index score of 7.20.
- Utah – Utah tops the Google Trends interest rankings with a perfect 100/100 score. The state recorded 21,061 pickleball-related searches per 100,000 people and has 4.5 courts per 100,000 residents, earning an index score of 6.35.
- Hawaii – With 89 venues and 18,828 annual searches per 100,000 residents, Hawaii ranks third. A Google Trends interest score of 69 helps the state reach an overall index score of 5.90.
- Maine – Maine has 8.7 courts per 100,000 residents and 166,000 searches for pickleball annually. A Google Trends rating of 43 contributes to an index score of 4.85.
- Minnesota – Minnesota has the most courts (251) among the top five but the lowest courts-per-resident rate at 4.3 per 100,000 people. With 19,111 searches per 100,000 residents and a Google Trends rating of 63, it scores 4.78.
Arizona, Colorado, and Idaho narrowly missed making the top five.
States Least Interested in Pickleball
- Louisiana – The Bayou State ranks lowest with just 2.2 courts per 100,000 residents. It records only 9,699 annual searches per 100,000 people and a Google Trends score of 29, resulting in an index score of 0.33.
- Mississippi – Mississippi has the lowest Google Trends interest score (26) and ranks third lowest in search volume (9,199 per 100,000 residents), leading to an index score of 0.38.
- Oklahoma – With the fewest annual searches (9,025 per 100,000 residents) and just 2.6 courts per 100,000 people, Oklahoma scores 0.47.
- West Virginia – Despite having 3.2 courts per 100,000 people, West Virginia’s low Google Trends rating (27) and search volume (9,031 per 100,000) place it fourth from the bottom, with an index score of 0.64.
- Kentucky – Kentucky rounds out the bottom five with an index score of 1.07, a Google Trends rating of 34, and just 2.8 courts per 100,000 people.
Arkansas, Alabama, and New Mexico also ranked low in pickleball interest.
Impact of Pickleball’s Growth
The sport’s rapid growth is shaping local communities, with many states investing in new pickleball courts and facilities. While some areas remain slow to adopt the trend, others are seeing surging interest. As pickleball continues to expand, states ranking lower may soon catch up, driven by increasing demand and accessibility.
News in Brief: America’s Pickleball Powerhouses
A new study ranks Vermont as the most pickleball-obsessed state, based on court availability and online interest. Utah and Hawaii follow closely. Louisiana ranks last, with minimal enthusiasm for the sport. With 48 million pickleball players nationwide, pickleball’s popularity continues to rise, sparking investment in new courts and facilities.
ALSO READ: Pickle Juice Indoor Pickleball Club Opens in Blackwood, NJ