The Ultimate List of Lost and Found Statistics, Trends And Facts 2023

In this Blog Post, We are going to explore the latest Lost and Found Statistics in 2023

Lost and Found Statistics

Statistic	Information
Percentage of Americans who have lost a personal item in the past year	60%
Most commonly lost items	1. Cell phones<br>2. Keys<br>3. Wallets<br>4. Sunglasses
Average time spent looking for lost items per year	2.5 days
Percentage of lost items that are never recovered	33%
Increase in lost items during the holiday season	25%
Amount of loose change left behind at U.S. airport security checkpoints in 2019	$926,030.44
Most common items left on public transportation	1. Umbrellas<br>2. Phones<br>3. Keys<br>4. Wallets
Most commonly lost item reported to the police in the UK	1. Set of keys<br>2. Wallet/purse<br>3. Mobile phone
Average number of lost hikers per year in the National Park Service	1,200
Number of umbrellas lost in Japan per year	Over 5 million

General Lost and Found Statistics

Statistic	Information
Average number of items lost by an individual per day	Up to nine
Percentage of people who have lost something in their lifetime	Over 60%
Number of lost and found items in the US per year	Over 400 million
Most commonly lost items	1. Wallets<br>2. Keys<br>3. Phones<br>4. Umbrellas
Percentage of lost items occurring in public places	Over 40%
Estimated value of lost items in the US per year	$5 billion
Average time for a lost item to be turned in to a lost and found service	Five days
Percentage of people who make an effort to return found items	Over 90%
Percentage of lost and found items reunited with their owners	Around 75%

Airport Statistics

Statistic	Information
Number of items lost in airports per year	Over 2 million
Most commonly lost items in airports	1. Phones<br>2. Passports<br>3. Laptops
Percentage of lost items in airports returned to their owners	Approximately 70%
Number of lost items reported at JFK airport per month	Over 30,000

Hotel Statistics

Statistic	Information
Average number of lost and found items received by hotels per month	100
Most commonly lost items in hotels	1. Clothing<br>2. Chargers<br>3. Toiletries
Time period for which hotels keep lost and found items	Usually 90 days

Public Transportation Statistics

Statistic	Information
Number of items lost in public transportation per year	Over 400,000
Most commonly lost items in public transportation	1. Phones<br>2. Wallets<br>3. Keys
Procedures for handling lost and found items in public transportation	Tracking, documenting, storing in a secure location

Technology

Statistic	Information
Use of technology in the lost and found industry	Various mobile applications and online platforms
Use of RFID technology in some lost and found services	To track and locate lost items
Use of QR codes on personal belongings	To track lost items through smartphones
Use of social media platforms in finding lost items	Sharing information with a wider audience

Latest Lost and Found Statistics

Statistic	Information
Number of cell phones lost by Americans every year	Over 10 million
Percentage of lost items that are never found	43%
Percentage of lost smartphones returned to their owners	Over 70%
Percentage of people who find lost phones attempting to unlock them	30%
Percentage of lost and found items returned within 24 hours	32%
Percentage of lost items found by someone other than the owner	70%
Percentage of people not attempting to return found items	60%
Number of lost pets in the United States per year	4 million
Percentage of lost pets never found	25%
Percentage of lost pets reunited with their owners	85%

Facts

Fact	Information
Annual revenue generated by the lost and found industry	Over $2 billion
Average number of lost items received by a lost and found office per month	70
Most commonly lost items	1. Keys<br>2. Wallets<br>3. Cell phones
Most commonly found items	1. Credit cards<br>2. ID cards<br>3. Keys
Most common place to lose an item	In a public place like a restaurant or store
Most common place to find a lost item	At home
Percentage of lost items returned to their owners	Over 50%
Percentage of lost and found items found within a mile of where they were lost	Majority
Annual cost of lost items to Americans	Over $2.7 billion
Average time spent per year looking for lost items	2.5 days

Benefits

Benefit	Information
How lost and found services help	1. Recover valuable items<br>2. Promote community safety<br>3. Reduce the financial burden of lost items<br>4. Help people feel more secure<br>5. Encourage responsibility with possessions

Trends

Trend	Information
Rise of GPS tracking technology in the lost and found industry	Growing use
Use of social media to report lost and found items	Increasing popularity
More companies offering lost and found services	To improve customer satisfaction
Exploration of artificial intelligence in improving lost and found services	Potential efficiency improvement
Increasing popularity of lost and found apps	Adoption on the rise

Adoption

Adoption	Information
Users of lost and found services	1. Individuals<br>2. Businesses<br>3. Government agencies
Availability of lost and found offices	1. Major airports and train stations<br>2. Universities and colleges<br>3. Cities and towns<br>4. Companies for employees

Market Analysis

Analysis	Information
Annual growth rate of the lost and found market	7%
Value of the global lost and found market	Over $7 billion
Largest market for lost and found services	North America
Region with the highest growth rate for lost and found services	Asia-Pacific
Largest consumer of lost and found services	Transportation sector

General Lost and Found Statistics

1. The average person will lose up to nine items every day.
2. Over 60% of people have lost something in their lifetime.
3. In the US alone, over 400 million items are lost and found every year.
4. The most commonly lost items include wallets, keys, phones, and umbrellas.
5. Over 40% of lost items occur in public places such as restaurants, airports, and public transportation.
6. The estimated value of lost items in the US is over $5 billion per year.
7. It takes an average of five days for a lost item to be turned in to a lost and found service.
8. Over 90% of people who find lost items will make an effort to return them to their owners.
9. Around 75% of lost and found items are eventually reunited with their owners.

Lost and Found in Airports

10. Over 2 million items are lost in airports every year.
11. The most commonly lost items in airports include phones, passports, and laptops.
12. Approximately 70% of items lost in airports are returned to their owners.
13. JFK airport in New York City has the largest lost and found department in the world, with over 30,000 items reported lost every month.
14. Airports have strict procedures for handling lost and found items, which include tracking, documenting, and storing the items in a secure location.

How much time do Americans spend looking for misplaced items?

According to the “Lost & Found Survey” conducted by Pixie, the average American spends 2.5 days per year looking for lost items.

What are the most commonly misplaced items?

Based on the survey findings, the top misplaced item is the TV remote, followed by phones, car and house keys, glasses, and shoes. TV remotes were reported to be lost by more than 71% of respondents at least once a month.

How much money do Americans spend annually on replacing misplaced items?

Collectively, U.S. households spend $2.7 billion each year on replacing misplaced possessions.

Who is more likely to misplace items, millennials, or baby boomers?

Millennials are generally twice as likely to misplace items compared to baby boomers. The survey found that millennials are a third more likely to lose items compared to Generation X. However, baby boomers were reported to be the most responsible generation, with over 55% claiming they haven’t lost their keys or phone in more than two months.

What are some consequences of losing items?

Losing items can cause stress, frustration, and have a significant impact on the day. More than 60% of respondents admitted being late to work or school due to searching for misplaced items. Additionally, nearly half of the respondents reported missing appointments or meetings due to searching for missing valuables. Arguments with significant others were also reported by one in three respondents when items go missing.

What are some common causes of misplacing items?

Multitasking was cited as the most common cause of misplacing items, with almost half of Americans stating that trying to juggle multiple tasks leads to forgetting where they placed a valuable.

Where do people commonly look for lost items?

When searching for lost items, people commonly look in their purses or bags (21%), followed by the couch (18%), pockets of the previous day’s clothing (14%), and around their beds (11%).

Is there a solution to easily find misplaced items?

Pixie, a smart location solution for iPhones that uses augmented reality, aims to help people find misplaced items quickly and easily. Pixie can track items down to inches and show their location through an advanced augmented reality app interface.

Lost and Found in Hotels Stats

15. Hotels receive an average of 100 lost and found items every month.
16. The most commonly lost items in hotels include clothing, chargers, and toiletries.
17. Hotels have a responsibility to keep lost and found items for a specific period, usually 90 days.
18. Hotels also have strict procedures for handling lost and found items, which include documenting, storing, and attempting to contact the owners of the lost items.

Lost and Found in Public Transportation Stats

19. Over 400,000 items are lost in public transportation every year.
20. The most commonly lost items in public transportation include phones, wallets, and keys.
21. Public transportation services have procedures in place for handling lost and found items, which include tracking, documenting, and storing the items in a secure location.
22. In some cases, lost and found services may charge a fee for the return of lost items.

Technology and Lost and Found Stats

23. Technology is revolutionizing the lost and found industry, with various mobile applications and online platforms available to help individuals find their lost items.
24. RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology is used in some lost and found services to track and locate lost items.
25. The use of QR codes on personal belongings is becoming increasingly popular, allowing individuals to track their lost items through their smartphones.
26. Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are also being used to help individuals find their lost items by sharing information with a wider audience.

Lost and Found Latest Stats

27. Every year, more than 10 million Americans lose their cell phones.
28. 43% of lost items are never found.
29. Over 70% of lost smartphones are returned to their owners.
30. 30% of people who find lost phones try to unlock them.
31. 32% of lost and found items are returned to their owners within 24 hours.
32. 70% of lost items are found by someone other than the owner.
33. 60% of people do not try to return found items.
34. In the United States, 4 million pets are lost each year.
35. 25% of lost pets are never found.
36. 85% of lost pets are reunited with their owners.

Lost and Found Facts

37. The lost and found industry generates over $2 billion in revenue each year.
38. The average lost and found office receives 70 lost items per month.
39. The most commonly lost items are keys, wallets, and cell phones.
40. The most commonly found items are credit cards, ID cards, and keys.
41. The most common place to lose an item is in a public place like a restaurant or store.
42. The most common place to find a lost item is at home.
43. Over 50% of lost items are returned to their owners.
44. The majority of lost and found items are found within a mile of where they were lost.
45. Lost items cost Americans over $2.7 billion each year.
46. The average person spends 2.5 days per year looking for lost items.

Lost and Found Benefits Stats

47. Lost and found services help people recover valuable items.
48. Lost and found services promote community safety.
49. Lost and found services reduce the financial burden of lost items.
50. Lost and found services help people feel more secure.
51. Lost and found services encourage people to be more responsible with their possessions.

Lost and Found Trends

52. The use of technology like GPS tracking is on the rise in the lost and found industry.
53. Social media is becoming a popular way to report lost and found items.
54. More companies are offering lost and found services as a way to improve customer satisfaction.
55. The use of artificial intelligence is being explored as a way to improve the efficiency of lost and found services.
56. The popularity of lost and found apps is increasing.

Lost and Found Adoption Stats

57. Lost and found services are used by individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
58. Most major airports and train stations have a lost and found office.
59. Many universities and colleges have a lost and found office.
60. Many cities and towns have a centralized lost and found service.
61. Many companies offer lost and found services to their employees.

Lost and Found Market Analysis Stats

62. The lost and found market is expected to grow by 7% annually.
63. The global lost and found market is worth over $7 billion.
64. North America is the largest market for lost and found services.
65. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to have the highest growth rate for lost and found services.
66. The transportation sector is the largest consumer of lost and found services.

How many times a week do you look for your keys? Or are you more of a ‘where’s my wallet’ type of person?

The frequency with which individuals look for their keys or wallets can vary. Some people may find themselves searching for their keys multiple times a week, while others may be more prone to misplacing their wallets. It ultimately depends on individual habits and routines.

What are the most commonly lost items?

The most commonly lost items across different regions include car or house keys, wallets, phones, TV remotes, and glasses. These items are often carried with us daily, making them more prone to misplacement or loss.

Why do we lose everything?

There can be various reasons why people tend to lose their belongings. Factors such as busyness, distractions, tiredness, or forgetfulness can contribute to misplacing items. Studies have even shown that forgetfulness in individuals without mental conditions can be a sign of intelligence.

When are we most likely to lose our personal items?

Weekends, particularly from Saturday to Monday, tend to be the time when people are most likely to lose their belongings. Additionally, more lost phones are reported on Sundays compared to other days of the week. Public transportation, including taxis, buses, and subways, also sees a higher incidence of lost items.

What are some common items left behind in Ubers?

According to Uber’s Lost & Found report, the top-10 items most frequently left behind in Ubers are phones, cameras, wallets, keys, purses/backpacks, clothing, glasses, headphones, vape/e-cigarettes, and ID/licenses.

What are the most commonly forgotten items on planes?

Passengers often leave behind items such as iPads, iPhones, neck pillows, water bottles, clothes, scarves, glasses/sunglasses, Kindles, cameras, and passports on planes.

Do children lose things more frequently than adults?

Children, particularly those under 10 years old, are more prone to losing or forgetting things. They often misplace items at school, kindergarten, or on the playground. Sweaters, sneakers, and socks are among the most commonly lost items by children.

Where do we usually misplace things?

The most common places where people misplace their belongings include their homes, public transit (such as buses, metros, and subways), offices, other people’s houses, bars, and restaurants. These locations tend to be where we are more relaxed and may become distracted, leading to misplacement.