Bridging the data gap: A survey of residents exposed to pickleball noise

As pickleball grows in popularity, pickleball noise in residential settings is increasingly recognized as a potential acoustic intrusion and health hazard to neighbors. However, current recommendations for appropriate mitigation are currently based on expert opinion from sound professionals and industry leaders. While expert recommendations have provided valuable guidance, a lack of publicly accessible data—particularly from those living near the courts—can present a challenge for local decision makers, who must balance the nuisance of pickleball noise with the interests of a growing player base. This study aims to help fill that gap through a survey of residents living within 1000 ft of public, club-operated or homeowners association (HOA)-managed pickleball courts. Survey questions gather data on the number of courts, exposure duration across time, sound levels and presence of a sound study (if available), what mitigation (if any) is in place, and the respondents’ current levels of annoyance or disturbance. This research adds a community-informed perspective essential for guiding evidence-based decision making, ensuring that standards for siting and mitigation reflect both acoustic principles and the realities of residential impact.