Michigan Named Among America’s Pickleball Capitals

Canva Pro Image

Michigan, the seventh best state for pickleball lovers, has 4.09 venues per 100,000 people.
The research analyzed the number of pickleball facilities and courts across America to determine the best states for players.
Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, South Dakota, and Idaho round out the top five best states for pickleball lovers in 2025.

New data reveals America’s pickleball capitals of 2025.

The study, conducted by pickleball technology experts PodPlay Technologies , examined court availability across the country to identify the nation’s pickleball hotspots. The states with the highest number of indoor and outdoor pickleball courts per 100,000 people have been named the best for fans of paddle sports.

Vermont leads the pack, with 10.95 pickleball venues per 100,000 residents. The state supports 71 pickleball locations with 65 indoor courts and 175 outdoor courts, showing substantial investment in the trendy sport despite harsh winter weather.

Maine ranks second among states, with 5.41 venues per 100,000 residents. The northeastern state contains 76 pickleball facilities housing 138 indoor courts and 123 outdoor courts, creating a nearly perfect balance between covered and open-air playing options suited to its changing seasons.

Tropical Hawaii sits in third place, with 5.12 venues per 100,000 residents. In fourth place is South Dakota, with 5.08 pickleball locations per 100,000 people, followed by Idaho in fifth, with 4.65 per 100,000 people.

Table 1: The top 10 best states for pickleball players in 2025

Rank	State	Pickleball courts per 100,000 residents
1	Vermont	10.95
2	Maine	5.41
3	Hawaii	5.12
4	South Dakota	5.08
5	Idaho	4.65
6	Utah	4.14
7	Michigan	4.09
8	Wisconsin	3.66
9	Montana	3.61
10	Delaware	3.52

At city leve, Sarasota tops the charts, with the highest concentration of pickleball courts. The Gulf Coast city houses 38 indoor courts and 29 outdoor courts across 15 different venues. As such, the city has 26.14 courts per 100,000 people.

Bradenton secures second place, with 19.31 venues per 100,000 residents. The neighboring Florida city has 11 pickleball locations featuring seven indoor courts and 40 outdoor courts. Florida’s dominance in the ranking highlights the Sunshine State’s natural advantage in maximizing warm weather for outdoor play that northern cities cannot match without substantial investment in covered courts.

Boynton Beach grabs third position, with 18.55 venues per 100,000 people, tightening Florida’s grip on the national pickleball scene. Palm Beach County’s city has 15 pickleball locations with nine indoor courts and 43 outdoor courts, highlighting the sport’s appeal.

The first non-Florida challenger, Apex, North Carolina, ranks fourth, with 16.89 venues per 100,000 residents. This city provides 12 pickleball locations with eight indoor courts and 37 outdoor courts, establishing itself as North Carolina’s pickleball headquarters for players seeking consistent playing opportunities throughout the year.

Fifth position went to Wilmington, Delaware, with 13.97 venues per 100,000 residents. Players in this city can access 10 separate locations with 16 indoor courts and 29 outdoor courts, giving options during both scorching summers and freezing winters typical of the Mid-Atlantic climate.

Knoxville, Tennessee, ranks sixth. The eastern city provides exceptional access with 12.76 venues per 100,000 people across 25 distinct pickleball locations containing 42 indoor courts and 53 outdoor courts, which is the highest total court count among all top 10 cities.

The coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina follows in seventh place, with 10.80 venues per 100,000 residents. The community has 13 pickleball facilities, including 13 indoor courts and 41 outdoor courts, placing another North Carolina location among the nation’s top pickleball destinations.

A third North Carolina contender, Asheville, ranks eighth, with 10.66 venues per 100,000 residents, followed by historic Charleston, South Carolina, in ninth, with 10.41 venues per 100,000 people. The tenth best city for pickleball lovers is Yuma, Arizona, with 10.15 venues per 100,000 residents.

Table 2: The top 10 best cities for pickleball players in 2025

Rank	City	Pickleball courts per 100,000 residents
1	Sarasota, Florida	26.14
2	Bradenton, Florida	19.31
3	Boynton Beach, Florida	18.55
4	Apex, North Carolina	16.89
5	Wilmington, Delaware	13.97
6	Knoxville, Tennessee	12.76
7	Wilmington, North Carolina	10.80
8	Asheville, North Carolina	10.66
9	Charleston, South Carolina	10.41
10	Yuma, Arizona	10.15