Kathleen Romito – kathleen@romitoresearch.org
Quiet Communities, Scientific Advisory Board
BOISE, ID 83703-1000
United States
Stephanie Knudson, Charles Leahy
Popular version of 1pNSc6 – Reevaluating Pickleball Noise Assessment: The Case for Integrating Non-Acoustic Annoyance Factors
Presented at the 189th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro02.ativ.me//web/index.php?page=Session&project=ASAASJ25&id=3986248
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
Pickleball is a wildly popular sport, with over 36 million players nationwide. The hard paddle strike on the plastic ball creates a distinctive pock-pock-pock sound that players find invigorating, but neighbors living close to courts experience as irritating at best. HOAs and recreation districts are retrofitting tennis courts into pickleball courts to meet popular demand, but too often these courts are located very near homes.
There are countless reports documenting neighbors’ complaints and efforts to decrease the decibel level of pickleball play with noise barriers and quiet equipment. Many acoustics professionals are aware of other acoustic factors besides decibels such as impulsivity, frequency (Hz), and number of noise events per unit time that play a role in how humans perceive sound.
The context around a sound also plays an important role in how humans perceive sound. These are called non-acoustic factors. This study looks at the the pervasive non-acoustic effects related to long-term exposure to pickleball noise. It turns out that it’s not just about the decibels.
People who can hear pickleball noise in their homes (“neighbors”) have provided a wealth of personal accounts of non-acoustic factors affecting their lives. From 2023 to 2025, the authors closely analyzed news reports, social media, podcasts, Zoom recordings of public meetings, and legal filings pertaining to pickleball noise. We identified six categories of non-acoustic factors that contribute to neighbors’ distress.
1. Social conflict: The nature of these conflicts is widespread and includes face to face harassment as well as name calling/threats on social media towards those who speak up about the noise problem (e.g. Karens, crybabies, busybodies, whiners, ridiculous, entitled…).
2. Fear: Neighbors, even those who don’t speak out, report fear of harassment. Residents also fear the effects on their physical and mental health the longer they are exposed to the noise. One man was so disturbed by his auditory hallucinations that he and his wife went on a hunger strike to try to stop the noise.
3. Negative impact on daily activities: Neighbors report being forced to leave their homes for hours or days at a time. They stop opening windows, stop using their yards, and stop having guests over. They report being unable to enjoy a sense of peace inside their own homes.
4. Loss of locus of control: In one recent survey of >260 communities, almost 3 out of 4 living within 1000 feet of courts reported being able to hear the noise inside their homes. In an effort to gain some sense of control, some people wear noise cancelling headphones in their own homes or spend lots of money on new windows. But even these efforts do not resolve the situation, leaving residents feeling like they have no control over their own lives at home.
5. Loss of trust in authorities: Neighbors report that authorities, even after hearing about the impact on the neighbors, often don’t take action to move or close courts with the explanation “we can’t make everyone happy.”
6. Perceived unfairness. Neighbors express a sense of injustice when the majority’s desire for a specific type of recreation seems to outweigh the minority’s right to be able to enjoy their homes in peace.
Why is this important? Because research shows that the context around a noise affects how much that noise impacts people. (See ISO technical specification 16755-1).
Pickleball noise is not merely an issue of sound and decibels; it’s a complex psychosocial public health phenomenon that impacts communities to an extent not previously documented. The data clearly show that courts in residential areas cause significant community discord. One solution may be to create formal policy on setbacks for pickleball court locations so players can enjoy their game in a location where neighbors are not affected.