I recently came across a data-backed blog post by Host Genie quantifying the ROI of adding a pickleball court to your short-term rental.
We all know standout amenities drive revenue, but this analysis uses AirDNA data to show just how profitable pickleball can be.
The researcher analyzed 100 properties in Phoenix/Scottsdale, and filtered for properties with 300+ operating days and 20+ reviews in the past year. Then, they used comparative revenue analysis, regression modeling, and interaction effect testing to isolate the impact of pickleball courts.
Benefits of Adding a Pickleball Court
- Properties with pickleball courts earn $58,970 more annually than those without
- Properties with pickleball courts have a higher median revenue, suggesting these homes attract more guests
- The revenue increase from pickleball courts is consistent across property sizes, making it a scalable upgrade
To be fair, the study focused only on one region and did not control for every variable (like design quality or other high-end amenities). But the correlation is strong, and the logic checks out.
Pickleball Demographics
Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for four straight years. The players are both wealthier and younger than ever:
- The pickball-playing community overall remains wealthier than the national median, with the majority of players reporting $150K+ household income
- The average player age dropped from 47.5 years (2021) to 34.8 years (2025), with the fastest growth among high-earning younger professionals - indicating continued demand for years to come.
With pickleball's growing popularity among high-income demographics, and seeing a study outlining the ROI, it makes installing a pickleball court a compelling investment for STR owners looking to invest in amenities to differentiate their properties.
