New Research Reveals Best States to Play Pickleball

New research reveals the best states to play pickleball

• A new ranking has named the best states to play pickleball, with Arizona crowned top of the list – and Louisiana last
• The findings considered factors like state interest, the availability of outdoor/indoor courts, and temperature fluctuations
• The study also considers air pollution, as higher levels may make it harder to exercise due to short-term respiratory effects

New research has revealed the best states for playing pickleball – with Arizona crowned top, and Louisiana named the worst.

Pickleball fanatics at Pickleball Union considered factors like monthly searches for related terms scaled against population, the number of courts, average annual precipitation, and the average temperature from 72F, to assign each state a score out of 100.

As well as looking at the above factors, the ranking also considered the number of past pickleball events, upcoming events, and the air quality index. According to USA Pickleball, A cross between tennis, badminton, and ping pong, pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in the US, with over 4.8 million players (Sports & Fitness Industry Association).

The top ten states for pickleball enthusiasts, scored out of 100

The best state for pickleball enthusiasts is Arizona, with a final score of 74.6 out of 100. The state achieved the highest possible score of 10 for events held over the last year, and also performed well for upcoming events.

Utah comes in second place with a final score of 70.5. The state reported the highest average monthly search volume for pickleball-related terms at 1683.8 searches per 100k, including terms such as “pickleball”, “pickleball paddle” and “pickleball tournament”.

It’s no surprise that the state is one of the top-performers, as it’s produced famous players such as Callie Smith – who is currently in the top five for all women’s pro pickleball divisions.

In third place is Hawaii, with a final score of 62.5. Hawaii received a perfect score of 10 for the average temperature difference from 72F compared to other states, which means Hawaii has a suitable climate to play pickleball in.

The ideal temperature for playing pickleball is between 70-80F.  This temperature is suitable for pickleball players because colder temperatures mean the ball will not bounce high enough, while higher temperatures mean the ball with soften and not have as much bounce.

Ranking fourth is the centennial state, Colorado, with a final score of 62.4. Colorado scored 9.4 for its average annual precipitation rate, equating to just 18 inches of rain yearly, so players won’t have to worry too much about getting wet on the court.

Coming closely after Colorado in the fifth spot is Wyoming, with a final score of 62.3. The state has a high-quality air index of 9.8, meaning it has minimal air pollution.

Air pollution is quickly becoming a modern health crisis, and it has been demonstrated that sports enthusiasts develop more of a long-passing game rather than attempting controlled and accurate short passes when playing in polluted air.

The state provides one of the highest numbers of outdoor courts, with 81 for its entire population. This is beneficial as players can enjoy a game of pickleball without worrying about the weather or their health.

The bottom ten states for pickleball enthusiasts, scored out of 100

Louisiana is named the worst state to play pickleball with a total final score of just 25.3. Louisiana acquired a low score of 0 for its average annual precipitation, with a staggering 59.7 inches of rain.

Rainy weather conditions can make playing pickleball outside dangerous and result in injury. Louisianna provides just 171 indoor courts for its large population, which can negatively impact those wanting to play pickleball safely indoors due to limited facilities.

Second to last, with a score of 26.4 is Mississippi. The state has an average search volume for pickleball-related terms of 0, with just 540.6 annual searches per 100k.

This is unsurprising as Mississippi only has 52 court venues in total. With limited resources to play the sport, people are less likely to know about pickleball, resulting in fewer searches.

Third to the bottom of the list at is Kentucky, with a final score of 30.2. The state only has 104 court venues, a minimal amount to compensate for its large population of 4,512,310. As well as this, Kentucky currently only has one upcoming event scheduled for pickleball; both factors make it difficult for players, as they are limited to facilities and event opportunities.

Paul Lemley, CEO of Pickleball Union has commented on the findings, saying: “Pickleball is becoming more popular by the day, so it’s important that states ensure they have solid provisions for players to capitalize on this interest. Plus, not only is the sport great for your physical health, but it also has mental health benefits due to its highly social nature.”

“It’s fascinating to see which states are the best for pickleball enthusiasts, as the quality and accessibility of provisions will have a large impact on how many people are able to participate in the sport in each state. It’s clear that some parts of the US need to prioritize improving their provisions more than others, for example by providing more indoor or outdoor courts for citizens.”

Story credit https://pickleballunion.com as Pickleball Union

Data was gathered from Google Keyword Planner, USA Pickleball, Census, Extreme Weather Watch, BallsSportsPro and EPA.

The considered factors included monthly search volume, number of indoor and outdoor courts, number of court venues, upcoming events, past events, average annual precipitation, the average temperature difference, and air quality.

Full State Ranking

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Author: David Keech

David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]