Which U.S. States Are Most Obsessed With Pickleball?
Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the United States for four consecutive years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Which states are at the forefront of this rapid growth?
We analyzed pickleball players across all 50 states and Washington D.C. (every pickleball player with a DUPR rating) to figure out which states are pickleball crazy, which have the most competitive players, and which might surprise you.
Here's what we found.
The Big Three: California, Florida, and Texas
Not surprisingly, 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 beats out Florida by 1,328 players, and Texas is right on the heels of Florida. There is a stark drop off from the top three to fourth place, which goes to New York with less than half the number of players as California.
Top 20 states by total registered pickleball players
The raw statistics are not so informative. California has 40 million people. Naturally they have a lot of pickleball players. The more interesting question is where pickleball has the greatest impact relative to population size.
The Per Capita Picture: Utah Dominates
After accounting for population size, the rankings shift significantly, with one state eclipsing all others.
| 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, which is 36% higher than Minnesota, making it the second-highest. So, around 1 in 148 people in Utah have a DUPR rating.
Top 20 states by players per 10,000 residents
The Mountain West and Upper Midwest lead the per capita rankings. Utah, Colorado and Idaho all make the top five as do Minnesota and Arizona.
Why Utah?
A few theories:
- Strong community and recreation culture — Utah has a high level of outdoor sports participation rates statewide.
- Collegiate pickleball - BYU stands at the forefront of college pickleball in Utah as the sport gains rapid popularity across Utah colleges. Utah has become a major hub for collegiate pickleball in the past five years.
- Year-round indoor facilities — Utah has invested heavily in recreation centers
- The “St. George effect” – St. George, Utah has become a top national pickleball destination with year-round major tournaments
It’s worth noting that Texas falls to 11th and California falls out of the top 20 when you consider the numbers per capita. Florida remains in 6th spot though — Floridians are clearly fans of pickleball.
Where Are the Best Players? The Competitiveness Index
Having many players is one thing. Having quality players is another. We looked at the number of players in each state with a DUPR rating of 4.0 or above – the benchmark for solid intermediate to advanced players.
| 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 |
For the third time in a row, Utah stands alone — with 117.4 competitive players per 100,000 residents, more than twice the rate of second-place Minnesota.
Top 20 states by 4.0+ DUPR rated players per 100,000 residents
Some interesting findings:
- Hawaii earns a spot in the top four perhaps because pickleball is extremely popular in resort towns, and there is a small but intense competitive community in the state
- Vermont sneaks into the top 10 — the smallest state on the list with 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:
Each state shows the number of pickleball players per 10,000 residents, and Utah is the only state that reaches 67.7
What This Tells Us
The data demonstrates it: pickleball enthusiasm is not tied to population amounts. It is linked to culture.
The Mountain West (Utah, Colorado, Idaho), the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin), and retirement communities (Florida, Arizona, South Carolina) are pickleball's real epicenters in the United States.
If you want to see the best pickleball tournaments, you should come to Utah! If you care about quantity and quality, then you can’t beat Florida. And if your state is lower on the list? That just means there's room to grow.