U.S. lost $433,982,548 because of Daylight Savings Time switch

Did you remember to set your clock forward on Sunday? Of course, it doesn’t really matter since most of us operate on digital devices like our smartphones that do the one-hour adjustment automatically.

But the annual switch to Daylight Savings Time reportedly continues to be a costly endeavor, resulting in a net loss of $433,982,548 for the U.S. economy.


The Lost-Hour Economic Index breaks down the economic loss state-by-state, across the top 360 metropolitan areas, saying that the lost income is due to a number of factors, including fatigue. Some markets in Hawaii and Arizona were excluded form the methodology because they do not participate in Daylight Savings Time.

All in all, the annual spring forward is a step back to our bank accounts. Though, the actual per capita numbers are not as stark as the totals suggest. Still, in this economy, every dollar counts. Maybe even more than that lost hour of sleep.

According to the Index, Morgantown, WV suffered the greatest loss per capita, with each person losing about $3.38 during the time switch. Least affected? Provo-Orem, UT, where each person only lost about $.97 cents during the time change.
En masse, the New York/Northern New Jersey/Long Island area was most affected, losing an estimated 29,682,674.

All in all, a pretty expensive time-change for what is supposed to save energy. Maybe the conspiracy theorists are right and Ben Franklin has been laughing in his grave for centuries.