With over 4 million active treasures hidden from the polar ice caps to bustling city streets, geocaching has grown from a niche GPS game into a global phenomenon connecting millions of adventurers.
Key Takeaways
- As of October 2023, there are over 4 million active geocaches worldwide listed on Geocaching.com
- In 2022, geocachers hid approximately 450,000 new caches globally, marking a 4.2% increase from the previous year
- The United States hosts 2.4 million geocaches, accounting for 60% of the global total as of mid-2023
- Over 23 million registered users on Geocaching.com as of October 2023
- In 2022, users found 150 million geocaches collectively worldwide
- Average active user finds 50 caches per year, based on 2023 data from 5 million actives
- In 2023, total finds logged reached 175 million cumulatively since 2000
- Average finds per cache lifetime is 250, based on 4 million caches in 2023
- Daily finds worldwide average 500,000 in peak 2023 summer months
- The USA leads with 100 million finds logged since inception by 2023
- Germany has 400,000 geocaches, second highest globally in 2023
- Canada hosts 300,000 caches across its vast terrain in 2023
- Over 5,000 geocaching events held annually worldwide in 2023
- Mega-events (1,000+ attendees) number 50 per year, like MEGA 2023
- CITO (Cache In Trash Out) events clean 1 million kg litter yearly 2023
Geocaching is a massive global hobby with millions of active caches and participants.
Cache Statistics
- As of October 2023, there are over 4 million active geocaches worldwide listed on Geocaching.com
- In 2022, geocachers hid approximately 450,000 new caches globally, marking a 4.2% increase from the previous year
- The United States hosts 2.4 million geocaches, accounting for 60% of the global total as of mid-2023
- Traditional caches make up 72% of all active geocaches, with over 2.8 million instances worldwide in 2023
- Earthcaches number around 45,000 globally, focusing on educational geology sites as of September 2023
- Multi-caches constitute 12% of geocaches, totaling about 480,000 active ones in 2023
- Mystery/Puzzle caches represent 8% of the total, with 320,000 active worldwide per latest data
- Letterbox Hybrid caches total 85,000 globally as of 2023, blending stamp collecting with geocaching
- The average geocache size is Small (3.5 liters), comprising 55% or 2.2 million caches in 2023
- Micro caches (under 100ml) make up 25% of all geocaches, totaling 1 million units worldwide
- Difficulty rating average for all caches is 2.5 out of 5, based on 4 million geocaches in 2023
- Terrain rating averages 2.2 out of 5 across global geocaches as of late 2023
- Virtual caches, grandfathered in, number only 200 active worldwide in 2023
- Webcam caches total fewer than 100 active globally due to rarity, per 2023 data
- Wherigo caches stand at 15,000 worldwide, requiring app interaction in 2023
- Reference Point caches, introduced recently, number 5,000 as of 2023
- The oldest active geocache, GC1, dates to May 3, 2000, with over 10,000 finds
- Mega-event caches associated with events exceed 1,200 globally in 2023
- Underwater caches total around 500 worldwide, requiring diving skills in 2023
- Geocaches in national parks number over 10,000 but with restrictions in 2023
- Premium member-only caches total 1.8 million, 45% of all active in 2023
- Archived caches exceed 5 million historically since 2000, per 2023 records
- Caches with 3D-printed containers number about 20,000 in 2023 surveys
- Nano caches, smallest size, total 150,000 globally as of 2023
- Caches owned by the Groundspeak team number 500 special ones in 2023
- High elevation geocache at 6,088m on Aconcagua, one of 50 extreme altitude caches
- Polar geocaches in Antarctica total 150, challenging due to environment in 2023
- Caches in active volcanoes number under 20 worldwide, highly risky
- Floating caches on water bodies total 2,500 requiring boats in 2023
- Caches hidden by celebrities or officials number 300 notable ones in 2023
Cache Statistics Interpretation
The sheer volume of geocaches, from two and a half million in the average American backyard to a single brave one on an active volcano, proves humanity’s most consistent hobby is cleverly hiding junk for strangers to find.
Community Statistics
- Over 5,000 geocaching events held annually worldwide in 2023
- Mega-events (1,000+ attendees) number 50 per year, like MEGA 2023
- CITO (Cache In Trash Out) events clean 1 million kg litter yearly 2023
- Regional gatherings average 100 attendees, 2,000 such events 2023
- Geocaching forums have 10 million posts since 2000 by 2023
- Local organizations like MOC groups number 500 worldwide 2023
- Travel bug races see 1,000 active competitions yearly 2023
- Waymarking.com, sister site, has 1 million waymarks linked to caches 2023
- Geocaching podcasts listeners total 500,000 monthly in 2023
- Merchandise sales via shop: 1 million items yearly 2023
- Volunteer reviewers approve 90% of cache submissions, 500k yearly
- Souvenir programs released 200 new ones in 2023 events
- Hackathons for API developers: 10 events with 1,000 participants 2023
- Charity fundraisers via geocaching raise $500,000 annually 2023
- Women in Geocaching groups have 100,000 members globally 2023
- Youth programs engage 200,000 kids under 18 yearly 2023
- International meetups cross borders: 200 events yearly 2023
- Cache maintenance contests reward top owners yearly, 2023 edition 500 winners
- Social media mentions of #geocaching reach 1 million posts yearly 2023
- Geocaching apps downloads exceed 10 million on Google Play by 2023
Community Statistics Interpretation
Geocaching is a global phenomenon where millions of people, cleverly disguised as normal citizens, are secretly organizing massive clean-ups, international parties, and digital treasure hunts, all while convincing each other to buy t-shirts for the privilege.
Find Statistics
- In 2023, total finds logged reached 175 million cumulatively since 2000
- Average finds per cache lifetime is 250, based on 4 million caches in 2023
- Daily finds worldwide average 500,000 in peak 2023 summer months
- Favorite points awarded total 50 million, averaging 12 per popular cache
- TB hotels (travel bug caches) see 1 million movements yearly in 2023
- Event attendance logs exceed 2 million per year globally in 2023
- First-to-find (FTF) logs number 450,000 new for 2023 hides
- Logs with photos attached: 30% of all finds, totaling 50 million images in 2023
- Maintenance logs per cache average 5 per year for active ones in 2023
- Webcam captures submitted total 10,000 historically by 2023
- Challenge cache completions logged: 500,000 in 2023 alone
- Souvenir earns from events: 5 million in 2023 mega-events
- DNF logs total 40 million cumulatively, 20% of all logs by 2023
- Owner-disabled caches reactivated after finds requests: 100,000 yearly
- Multi-find caches (multiple logs per visit) average 1.2 logs per visit
- TB discoveries (not grabs) number 20 million in 2023 logs
- High favorite caches (over 100) total 10,000 with millions of points
- Seasonal finds peak in July at 20 million monthly worldwide 2023
- Night caching finds with flashlights: 5% of total logs in 2023
- Virtual reward finds since 2020: 2 million for opted-in caches
- Group finds logged by teams: 15% of total in family events 2023
Find Statistics Interpretation
In the grand, slightly obsessive theater of geocaching, 2023 proved that millions of us are happily lost in a worldwide game of high-tech hide-and-seek, where every "found it" log, favorite point, and wayward travel bug tells a story of adventure, community, and the occasional triumph over a stubbornly clever hiding spot.
Location Statistics
- The USA leads with 100 million finds logged since inception by 2023
- Germany has 400,000 geocaches, second highest globally in 2023
- Canada hosts 300,000 caches across its vast terrain in 2023
- Australia has 50,000 caches, dense in urban areas per 2023 data
- UK geocaches number 45,000, popular in Scotland highlands 2023
- France with 80,000 caches leads Europe outside Germany in 2023
- Brazil has 25,000 caches, growing in Amazon regions 2023
- Japan features 15,000 urban and mountain caches in 2023
- Russia spans 20,000 caches across 11 time zones 2023
- Poland has 35,000 caches, high density in national parks 2023
- Geocaches per capita highest in Finland at 1 per 1,000 people 2023
- Antarctica has 150 caches, all requiring expedition in 2023
- Highest density state: Washington USA with 80,000 caches 2023
- Lowest density continent: Africa with 10,000 caches total 2023
- Urban caches in top 100 cities total 1 million in 2023
- Island nations like Iceland have 5,000 caches per 400k pop 2023
- Mountainous regions like Alps host 50,000 caches across countries 2023
- Desert caches in Sahara and similar: 2,000 extreme ones 2023
- Coastal caches worldwide: 500,000 near shorelines 2023
- Airport caches for travelers: 1,000 at major hubs 2023
- UNESCO sites with caches: 800 protected locations 2023
Location Statistics Interpretation
The statistics reveal that geocaching, in its quest to leave no stone unturned, has turned America into a giant scavenger hunt, made Germany a world champion in hide-and-seek, and even convinced a few brave souls that a penguin might appreciate a Tupperware box in Antarctica.
User Statistics
- Over 23 million registered users on Geocaching.com as of October 2023
- In 2022, users found 150 million geocaches collectively worldwide
- Average active user finds 50 caches per year, based on 2023 data from 5 million actives
- 55% of geocachers are male, 45% female as per 2022 demographics survey
- Average age of geocachers is 42 years old from 2023 global survey
- 40% of users are premium members paying for advanced features in 2023
- Top user, cache king, has over 1.2 million finds as of 2023
- New accounts created in 2022: 2.5 million globally
- 25% of users participate in daily caching streaks over 1 year in 2023
- Challenge caches completed by users total 100,000 unique achievements yearly
- Souvenir collectors: 30% of users have over 100 country souvenirs in 2023
- Power Trail participants make up 15% of active users, focusing on high-volume finds
- Users with over 10,000 lifetime finds number 50,000 in 2023 rankings
- Family caching accounts for 35% of activity, per 2022 parent survey
- International travelers among users: 20% log finds in 10+ countries yearly
- App-only users (no website) comprise 60% of new signups in 2023
- Disabled geocachers using adaptive methods number 5% of community in 2023
- Educators using geocaching in classrooms: 50,000 teachers registered in 2023
- Corporate team-building events with geocaching involve 100,000 participants yearly
- Veterans and military users: 10% of total, leveraging GPS skills
- Users logging DNFs average 20% of attempts, per 2023 analysis
- Multi-language profile users: 15% supporting non-English logs in 2023
- Lifetime achievement badges awarded to 1 million users since inception
User Statistics Interpretation
While the average geocacher is a 42-year-old with a respectable 50 finds a year, the true spirit of the hobby is found in the glorious paradox of its community: a bustling digital nation of 23 million where a "cache king" with over 1.2 million finds can inspire both a family outing and a teacher's lesson plan, proving that the real treasure isn't the container, but the wildly diverse human adventure of seeking it.
Sources & References
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- Reference 25DEVELOPERdeveloper.geocaching.comVisit source