In April, Americans celebrate one of America’s fastest-growing sports: Pickleball. National Pickleball Month is in April. As the warmer season approaches, expect a surge of Americans participating and engaging in this evolving sport firsthand. That is driving and fostering more interest within cities nationwide, just as Virginia sports betting is helping interest grow about sports in general.
In the Old Dominion State, not only is the sport thriving, but it also hosts some of the most pickleball-suited courts for residents and professional players. This has led to three Virginia cities making the list of America’s Top 15 cities for pickleball players, the most of any state. Chesapeake, Arlington, and Virginia Beach are on the list, but which other American cities are home to the most pickleball players?
Top Pickleball-Loving States In U.S.
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We used Trust for Public Land’s 2023 City Park Facts data on parks in the nation’s 100 largest cities. After sifting through this data, we ranked those cities by total pickleball courts per 20,000 residents, resulting in the chart above.
Pickleball Mania Across Commonwealth
Per the Public Land’s 2023 City Park Facts data, Chesapeake is ranked 11th, averaging 2.7 pickleball courts per 20,000 residents. Arlington follows up, tied at 12th along with Columbus, Ohio, averaging 2.5 courts. Virginia Beach is 14th with 2.3 courts.
To cater to the growing demand of the state’s pickleball fever, Arlington also launched the Arlington Outdoor Courts Assessment last year. It was designed to provide more outdoor accessibility for recreational pickleball facilities. Last year, the city only used space for indoor pickleball at Thomas Jefferson, Arlington Mill, and Walter Reed Community Centers. Since then, the city has redeveloped multi-use courts for tennis and pickleball at Fort Scott Park, Marcey Road Park, Hayes Park, and Virginia Highlands Park, offering 13 available courts within the area.
In Chesapeake, the city’s official website lists 25 indoor and 16 outdoor pickleball locations, six more courts than last year. Virginia Beach is also home to the 14-acre center of pickleball facilities, offering more than 25 dedicated courts available for residents to use. The facility also hosts professional and amateur tournaments, which include the Virginia Pickleball Classic happening on May 1 and the annual 24 Hours of Pickleball Tournament beginning June 5.
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For the rest of this list, Seattle can be considered the hottest destination for pickleball enthusiasts, averaging 4.1 pickleball courts per 20,000 residents. St. Petersburg, Florida, follows up at 3.9 courts per 20,000, then Lincoln, Nebraska (3.4), Honolulu, Hawaii (3.4), and Madison, Wisconsin (3.1), completing the top five.
