Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in America for four consecutive years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. But which states are leading the charge?
We crunched the numbers on pickleball players across all 50 states and Washington D.C. — every player with a DUPR rating — to find out which states are the most pickleball-obsessed, which have the most competitive players, and which might surprise you.
Here's what we found.
The Big Three: California, Florida, and Texas
No surprise here — the three most populous states also have the most pickleball players:
| Rank | State | Total Players |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 88,166 |
| 2 | Florida | 86,838 |
| 3 | Texas | 85,758 |
| 4 | New York | 35,987 |
| 5 | Georgia | 33,897 |
California edges out Florida by just 1,328 players, while Texas is nipping at Florida's heels. After the top three, there's a dramatic drop-off — New York comes in fourth with less than half the players of California.
Top 20 states by total registered pickleball players
But raw numbers don't tell the whole story. California has nearly 40 million people. Of course it has more pickleball players. The real question is: where does pickleball matter most relative to the population?
The Per Capita Picture: Utah Dominates
When you adjust for population, the rankings change dramatically — and one state blows everyone else away.
| Rank | State | Players per 10,000 Residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah 🥇 | 67.7 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 49.8 |
| 3 | Arizona | 45.1 |
| 4 | Colorado | 43.9 |
| 5 | Idaho | 39.5 |
| 6 | Florida | 38.4 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 35.2 |
| 8 | D.C. | 34.7 |
| 9 | Georgia | 31.1 |
| 10 | Washington | 28.5 |
🏆 Utah has 67.7 pickleball players per 10,000 residents — 36% higher than second-place Minnesota. That means roughly 1 in every 148 people in Utah has a DUPR rating.
Top 20 states by players per 10,000 residents
The Mountain West and Upper Midwest dominate the per capita rankings. Utah, Colorado, and Idaho all crack the top five, as do Minnesota and Arizona.
Why Utah?
A few theories:
- Strong community and recreation culture — Utah consistently ranks high in outdoor sports participation
- BYU and the college pickleball scene — collegiate pickleball has exploded in Utah
- Year-round indoor facilities — Utah has invested heavily in recreation centers
- The "St. George effect" — St. George, Utah has become a national pickleball destination, hosting major tournaments year-round
Notably, Texas drops to 11th and California falls out of the top 20 entirely when you look at it per capita. Florida hangs tough at 6th — Floridians really do love their pickleball.
Where Are the Best Players? The Competitiveness Index
Having lots of players is one thing. Having good players is another. We looked at how many players in each state have a DUPR rating of 4.0 or higher — the threshold where you're considered a strong intermediate-to-advanced player.
| Rank | State | 4.0+ Players per 100K Residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah 🥇 | 117.4 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 55.3 |
| 3 | Idaho | 53.8 |
| 4 | Hawaii | 47.7 |
| 5 | Arizona | 45.0 |
| 6 | Colorado | 40.9 |
| 7 | Florida | 40.1 |
| 8 | Oregon | 36.2 |
| 9 | Washington | 33.9 |
| 10 | Vermont | 32.3 |
Once again, Utah is in a league of its own — with 117.4 competitive players per 100,000 residents, it has more than double the rate of second-place Minnesota.
Top 20 states by 4.0+ DUPR rated players per 100,000 residents
Some interesting findings:
- Hawaii cracks the top four, likely thanks to a strong pickleball culture in resort communities and a tight-knit competitive scene
- Vermont sneaks into the top 10 — the smallest state on the list with just 1,170 total players, but 209 of them (17.9%) are rated 4.0+
- Idaho continues its Mountain West dominance at #3
- Oregon and Washington represent the Pacific Northwest well
The Full Map
Here's every state with its exact per-capita number, so you can find yours:
Every state's pickleball players per 10,000 residents — Utah stands alone at 67.7
What This Tells Us
The data paints a clear picture: pickleball passion doesn't just follow population — it follows culture.
The Mountain West (Utah, Colorado, Idaho), the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin), and retirement-friendly states (Florida, Arizona, South Carolina) are the true hotbeds of American pickleball.
If you're looking for the best pickleball competition, book a trip to Utah. If you want quantity and quality, Florida remains hard to beat. And if you're in a state that's lower on the list? That just means there's room to grow.