Our priority is and always will be delivering great service that’s affordable and dependable. We have the nation’s largest retail network, and our online Post Office at usps.com is always open.
International Mail revenue
International Mail is a $1.41 billion business within the Postal Service.
BULLETIN
On time. Every time. The Postal Bulletin, a nationally distributed biweekly publication, serves as a source for official policy, procedure updates and departmental news for all Postal Service functions. It has never missed a deadline since its inception in 1880.
Go to about.usps.com/resources/postal-bulletin.htm to browse past issues.
narcotics arrests
In 2024, the Inspection Service reported 2,038 arrests related to illegal narcotics cases.
Keeping America’s postal system secure.
In 2024, the Postal Inspection Service:
the mail from illegal drugs
The Postal Inspection Service is committed to using the most advanced technology to stop fentanyl traffickers. Postal inspectors use data, forensics and citizens’ tips to protect Americans and apprehend opioid dealers who send illegal drugs through the mail.
Defending the mail from illegal drugs
The Postal Inspection Service is committed to using the most advanced technology to stop fentanyl traffickers. Postal inspectors use data, forensics and citizens’ tips to protect Americans and apprehend opioid dealers who send illegal drugs through the mail.
In 2024, postal inspectors seized 36,454 kilograms of illegal narcotics and confiscated over $13 million in illicit proceeds.
INSPECTION SERVICE
Defending the frontier. Enforcing the law. Established Aug. 7, 1775. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service enforces federal laws, prevents crimes, and keeps customers, employees and the mail safe. It’s one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation. Postal inspectors remain on the heels of the criminals — targeting theft, disrupting drug traffickers, warning about fraud scams and more.
It’s one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation. Postal Inspectors remain on the heels of the criminals — targeting theft, disrupting drug traffickers, warning about fraud scams and more.
The Postal Inspection Service does this with approximately 2,300 employees — including nearly 1,250 postal inspectors, roughly 450 uniformed postal police officers and 600 professional, technical and administrative support personnel — all working to ensure America’s confidence in the U.S. Mail.
diversity
The strength of the Postal Service lies in its amazing diversity. Our workforce is representative of the diverse communities that we serve.
The Postal Service is one of the most diverse organizations in the nation.
bargain
The price of a First-Class postage stamp is a global bargain.
first postage stamps
The first U.S. postage stamps were issued in 1847.
The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery.
On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847. One, priced at 5 cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a 10-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets. Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a 5-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A 2-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person.
ZIP
Mr. ZIP, who has no first name, appeared in many public service announcements and advertisements urging customers to use their five-digit ZIP Code introduced on July 1, 1963. Within four years of his appearance, eight out of 10 Americans knew who Mr. ZIP was and what he stood for. The character has found new life in recent years a USPS-licensed character and even has YouTube series.
With the introduction of the nine-digit ZIP Code, or ZIP+4, in 1983, Mr. ZIP went into partial retirement. His image still was printed on the selvage of some sheets of stamps, but that practice ended in January 1986. Today, Mr. ZIP is a USPS-licensed character used to expand the Postal Service brand and introduce the organization to new generations of Americans.
free city delivery
Before 1863, postage paid only for the delivery of mail from Post Office to Post Office. Citizens picked up their mail, although in some cities they could pay an extra two-cent fee for letter delivery or use private delivery firms. An Act of Congress of March 3, 1863, effective July 1, 1863, provided that free city delivery be established at Post Offices where income from local postage was more than sufficient to pay all expenses of the service.
In the late 19th century, free home delivery of mail was introduced — first in cities, then in rural areas — and letter carriers became familiar, trusted visitors to homes and businesses across the country.
Before 1863, postage paid only for the delivery of mail from Post Office to Post Office. Citizens picked up their mail, although in some cities they could pay an extra one- or two-cent fee for letter delivery or use private delivery firms. Among the postal reforms suggested by Postmaster General Montgomery Blair in his 1862 report to the President was free delivery of mail by salaried letter carriers, which he felt would “greatly accelerate deliveries, and promote the public convenience.” He reasoned that if the system of mailing and receiving letters was more convenient, people would use it more often, and pointed to increasing postal revenues in England, which already had adopted free city delivery.
Congress agreed. An Act of Congress of March 3, 1863, effective July 1, 1863, provided that free city delivery be established at Post Offices where income from local postage was more than sufficient to pay all expenses of the service. For the first time, Americans had to put street addresses on their letters.
the postal dog
On an autumn day in 1888, a shaggy pup took his first steps toward becoming a postal legend when he crept into the Albany, NY, Post Office. Postal employees allowed him to stay and named him Owney.
At first, Owney stayed close to the Post Office, but he soon began riding mail wagons to the train depot and the railway mail car down to New York City and back to Albany. As Owney traveled farther, his friends at the Albany Post Office feared he might wander too far away to find his way home again, so they purchased a leather collar with a tag reading “Owney, Post Office, Albany, N.Y.” Railway mail clerks recorded Owney’s travels by attaching metal baggage tags to his collar to identify the rail lines he traveled on. He was soon so weighed down by his collection of tags that Postmaster General John Wanamaker presented Owney with a jacket to distribute their weight more evenly.
Owney took to traveling farther and staying away longer, eventually visiting Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, Singapore, Suez, Algiers and the Azores.
One day, while being shown off to an Ohio newspaper reporter, Owney bit the clerk who was handling him. The postmaster had Owney put down on June 11, 1897. Railway mail clerks chipped in money to have a taxidermist preserve Owney’s body, which then was sent to postal headquarters in Washington, DC, for exhibit. In 1911, the Post Office Department entrusted Owney to the Smithsonian Institution. Since 1993, Owney has been on display at the National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. In 2011, Owney was honored on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.
LINK
Link, a daily news site for Postal Service employees, is available on any computer with internet access. The content is produced by a team of writers and editors based at USPS Headquarters in Washington, DC. Additional contributions come from postal employees across the nation. The site is updated with new articles, photos, graphics and videos each weekday.
Regular columns include “Off the Clock,” a column about employees and their after-hours pursuits, and “Milestones,” a regular roundup of employee appointments, awards and retirements.
Employees with USPS email addresses receive a Link email each weekday with the most recent stories. Employees without a Postal Service email address can sign up for the Link Weekly Highlights email at usps.link to have the week’s top stories delivered to their personal email inbox.
in the Postal Service
Each day the Postal Service picks up, processes and delivers millions of letters and packages. No single operation in the world comes close to this level of connectivity for so many households and businesses.
postal employees
Heads of industry. Hollywood legends. Sports heroes. Singers. Painters. Writers. And a couple presidents. All were postal employees before they became household names! Sixteen have even had their image or work featured on stamps.
See the list at about.usps.com/who/profile/history/personnel.htm.
generation vehicles
In December 2022, USPS announced plans to acquire 106,000 new vehicles, including at least 66,000 battery electric delivery vehicles. This includes 21,000 commercial off-the-shelf battery electric vehicles and 45,000 battery electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV). The NGDVs provide better visibility, ergonomic seating, air conditioning, safety improvements and user-friendly operations.
ESSENTIAL
The Postal Service provides a vital public service, is a part of the nation’s critical infrastructure and was created by an act of Congress.
The statute that created the Postal Service begins with the following sentence: “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by an Act of Congress, and supported by the people.” 39 U.S.C. §101(a).
at Post Offices
Post Offices were first required to display the American flag in 1885 to comply with Treasury Department instructions. As of Nov. 7, 2019, Post Offices are required to fly the Prisoner of War (POW)-Missing in Action (MIA) flag on the same days that the American flag is flown.
In 2024, the Postal Service replaced 28,414 U.S. flags and 34,593 POW-MIA flags.
of our domains
The Postal Service owns 1,958 internet domains.
our mark
The Postal Service has 414 domestic and 982 foreign trademark registrations.
the best
Patently the best. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued more than 700 patents to the Postal Service.
service
We’re universal. Everyone living in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands) has access to postal products and services and pays the same for a First-Class Mail postage stamp regardless of the sender’s location.
focused
We’re customer-focused. The Postal Service is committed to providing a positive customer experience.
With nearly 34,000 retail locations, more than 12 million daily visits on usps.com and serving 155.9 million residences and 12.6 million businesses typically six days a week, the Postal Service is committed to providing a positive customer experience.
and adaptable
The Postal Service has a long and storied history of creating new technologies for the American people, enabling faster, more efficient communication and safer, more secure delivery of correspondence and merchandise. For 250 years, it has adapted to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
LINCOLN
On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Abraham Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem, IL. Lincoln served until the office was closed May 30, 1836.
Two postmasters became U.S. presidents later in their careers — Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman. Truman held the title and signed papers but immediately turned the position and its pay over to an assistant. Lincoln was the only president who served as a postmaster.
On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Lincoln was appointed Postmaster of New Salem, IL. Lincoln served until the office was closed May 30, 1836. Postal records show that Lincoln earned $55.70 as postmaster in fiscal year 1835 and $19.48 for one quarter’s work in fiscal year 1837. Besides his pay, Lincoln, as postmaster, could send and receive personal letters free and get one daily newspaper delivered free. Mail arrived once a week. If an addressee did not collect the mail, as was the custom, Lincoln delivered it personally — usually carrying the mail in his hat. Even then, Lincoln was “Honest Abe.”
Reportedly, when the New Salem Post Office was discontinued, Lincoln had a balance of $16 or $18, which he took with him to Springfield, IL. Months later, while his close friend Dr. A. G. Henry was visiting, a Post Office agent called on Lincoln to collect the funds. Henry knew that Lincoln had been in financial straits and feared that he might not have the money. Henry recalled that just as he was about to offer Lincoln a loan, the future president “. . . went over to his trunk at his boarding house, and returned with an old blue sock with a quantity of silver and copper coin tied up in it. Untying the sock, he poured the contents on the table and proceeded to count the coin, which consisted of such silver and copper pieces as the country-people were then in the habit of using in paying postage. On counting it up there was found the exact amount, to a cent, of the draft, and in the identical coin which had been received. He never used, under any circumstances, trust funds.”
driven
The Postal Service uses data not only to ensure its operations run smoothly, but also to help businesses make better use of the mail. Its mission is to provide the right information to the right people in real time using advanced technology.
is getting greener
The Postal Service is working hard to put its stamp on a greener tomorrow for the many communities we serve. Postal carriers deliver mail using alternative fuel vehicles, on foot and even on bicycles. Mail is delivered by bicycle on 50 routes in Florida and Arizona and more than 6,450 carriers deliver mail solely on foot.
social network
The Postal Service is the original social network, but that doesn't mean we aren't represented on the other, newer social networks. You can find the Postal Service on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, X and YouTube. We also have a blog and a podcast.
veterans
We're patriotic. The Postal Service employs nearly 70,000 military veterans, making it one of the largest employers of veterans in the country.
The Postal Service has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Armed Forces stamps commemorating the 250th anniversaries of the
U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
owned properties
The Postal Service owns 8,515 properties around the country.
leased properties
The Postal Service has 22,798 leased properties.
in a shipping container
The Power, MT (59468) Post Office, built in 2019, is the first Post Office built using a shipping container.
ALERT program
As one of the few points of human contact for some homebound customers, letter carriers are particularly attuned to signs that could indicate an accident or illness. If carriers notice something unusual, such as uncollected mail at an at-risk customer’s home, the employee will alert emergency personnel. Carrier Alert began in 1982.
Awareness
USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign. Thousands of carriers deliver to homes with dogs every day. The Postal Service promotes safety initiatives and shares prevention tips to protect employees and customers from dog bites.
National Dog Bite Prevention Week addresses aggressive dog behaviors that pose serious threats to Postal Service employees delivering mail and how communities they serve can play a part in their safety.
Hunger food drive
Every year, the Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers hold the largest one-day food drive in the nation. The program has collected more than 1.9 billion pounds of food since the campaign began in 1993.
postmasters
Women served as postmasters in this country more than a century before they won the right to vote.
African American postmasters
African Americans worked as postmasters, clerks and carriers beginning in the 1860s — 100 years before the Civil Rights Movement brought about wider opportunity in the American workplace.
An American History
The United States Postal Service has a storied history, familiar to many. Our history is the history of America. Detailed information about the Postal Service and its history can be found in "The United States Postal Service: An American History" at https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/.
postmaster
The first known female postmaster in the United Colonies was Mary Katharine Goddard in Baltimore in 1775.
female mail carrier
The first known female mail carrier was Sarah Black, who worked as a mail messenger in Charlestown, MD, in 1845.
petabytes of storage
The Postal Service has 188 petabytes of storage capacity — equivalent to 2.9 million smartphones with 64GB of space.
African American postmaster
The first known African American postmaster was James W. Mason in Sunny Side, AR, in 1867.
African American carrier
The first known African American mail carrier was James B. Christian in Richmond, VA, in 1869.
woman on a stamp
The first American woman on a U.S. postage stamp was Martha Washington in 1902.
American postal inspector
The first known African American postal inspector was Isaac Myers in Baltimore in 1870.
Isaac Myers served as a postal inspector from 1870 until 1879. During his employment he helped solve a number of notorious cases.
external email messages
In 2024, the Postal Service email system delivered 1.6 billion external email messages per month, with 70 percent of the volume comprising Informed Delivery Daily Digest emails.
American on a stamp
The first Hispanic American on a stamp was U.S. Navy Adm. David Farragut in 1903.
American on a stamp
The first Native American on a stamp was Pocahontas in 1907.
miles driven in 2024
To move mail using surface transportation, the Postal Service drove more than 1.9 billion miles in 2024 — more than 22.6 million trips.
American on a stamp
The first African American on a stamp was educator, author and orator Booker T. Washington in 1940.
postmaster general
The first female postmaster general was Megan J. Brennan, Washington, DC, 2015. Brennan's tenure was Feb. 1, 2015 – June 15, 2020.
pounds of mail fly each day
The Postal Service used 150 domestic airports to fly 3.7 million pounds of mail each day in 2024.
Postal Union
The Postal Service is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a United Nations' organization.
The Postal Service is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a United Nations’ organization.
Post Corporation
The Postal Service is one of 26 members of the International Post Corporation (IPC). The IPC is a cooperative association of posts in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
The Postal Service is one of 26 members of the International Post Corporation (IPC). The IPC is a cooperative association of posts in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Post Group
The Postal Service is one of 10 members of the Kahala Post Group (KPG).
The Postal Service is one of 11 members of the Kahala Posts Group (KPG).
Service Cooperative
The Postal Service is a member of the Express Mail Service (EMS) Cooperative. The EMS Cooperative was created by the UPU in 1999 and consists of 176 postal operators. It allows access to more than 180-member countries to provide EMS — the UPU’s fastest cross-border international postal product.
The Postal Service is a member of the Express Mail Service (EMS) Cooperative.
Group
The Postal Service is one of 36 members of the .POST Group. The UPU’s .POST Group, created in 2013, is a trusted internet domain, established exclusively for the global postal sector and sponsored by the UPU.
The mission of the .POST Group is to support posts in providing their customers with reliable and secure web services.
bicycle delivery routes
The Postal Service delivers mail by bicycle on 50 routes in Arizona and Florida, reducing emissions and saving fuel.
gallons of oil recycled
In 2024, the Postal Service recycled 332,500 gallons of used oil — equivalent to saving more than 14 million gallons of crude oil.
pounds of batteries
The Postal Service recycled 75,000 pounds of small lead-acid and dry cell batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, which are found in cellphones, laptops, scanners and other small electronics.
BROKER
The Lable Broker service solves the ever-increasing problem of online customers not being able to print shipping labels.
With Label Broker, customers can get a shipping label on their mobile device, in the form of a matrix barcode, directly from the merchant. The customer uses the code to print an outbound or return shipping label at a Post Office or on a printer connected to usps.com. Label Broker is also the foundational technology that has enabled the USPS Operation Santa program to expand and evolve in a digital format.
For more information, go to usps.com/business/label-broker.htm.
first postmaster general
Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress in 1775.
launched usps.com
The Postal Service launched usps.com in 1994.
in caves
No troglodytes here! The Stamp Fulfillment Services facility, located in Kansas City, MO, is housed in a limestone cave 150 feet beneath the ground. It is the Postal Service’s only facility located underground.
The consistent, year-round temperatures and humidity levels in the cave allow the stamps to be maintained in mint-quality condition. The underground facility also keeps the inventory and employees safe from snow, flooding, winds and tornadic activity common in the Midwest.
Ahoy!
The JW Westcott is a 45-foot contract mail boat out of Detroit that delivers mail to passing ships on the Detroit River. The JW Westcott has its own ZIP Code — 48222.
This is the J.W. Westcott II approaching a Canadian freighter on the Detroit River
Headquarters
The U.S. Postal Service Headquarters building is located in Washington, DC, just a few blocks south of the National Mall.
Postal Service Headquarters, 1973 — Present
Vlastimil Koubek designed the present Postal Service Headquarters building, which is located in Washington, DC, just a few blocks south of the National Mall.
Post Office Department Headquarters, 1899–1934
This granite building on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House, was the last to simultaneously house both USPS Headquarters and the Washington, DC, Post Office. Horse-drawn wagons brought mail to the building in its early years. By the time the headquarters moved to a larger building, almost all mail was carried by motor vehicles.
center
Located in Maryland, the William F. Bolger Center is a premier leadership development and conference center servicing both Postal Service and external clients. It is the only hotel in the country featuring an on-site Smithsonian Institution exhibit.
The William F. Bolger Center is a Postal Service-owned, state-of-the-art training facility located on 83 beautiful acres in Potomac, MD. It was built in the 1930’s as a Catholic convent by the Sisters of Mercy.
In the 1980’s, it was purchased by the U.S. Postal Service as a training center.
Named for William F. Bolger (March 13, 1923 – August 21, 1989), the 65th Postmaster General of the United States from March 15, 1978 to January 1, 1985.
delivery unit sorter
The Automated Delivery Unit Sorter sorts packages and bundles of mail at a rate of 3,400 pieces per hour with a sort accuracy of 99.95 percent.
mailpieces processed daily
The Postal Service processed and delivered an average of 371.3 million mailpieces daily in 2024.
371.3 million — average number of mailpieces processed and delivered each day
15.5 million — average number of mailpieces processed each hour
257,813 — average number of mailpieces processed each minute
4,297 — average number of mailpieces processed each second
on stamps
All 50 states have been commemorated on postage stamps. They are each honored in 50-year increments from their founding date.
National Postal Museum Opens
In 1993, the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum opened. This museum is dedicated to the preservation, study and presentation of postal history and philately.
The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum offers exhibits tracing the history of the postal system in the United States. It houses millions of postal-related items — mostly stamps, but also postal stationery, greeting cards, covers and letters, mailboxes, postal vehicles, handstamps, metering machines, patent models, uniforms, badges and other objects related to postal history and philately. The museum’s library, with more than 40,000 volumes and manuscripts, is open to the public by appointment. In 2013, the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery — the largest in the world — opened at the museum.
For more information, go to postalmuseum.si.edu.
mailman
John Prine, singer and songwriter, was a letter carrier in Maywood, IL, 1964-1969.
unstaffed Post Office
One of a kind. There is a 24-hour, unstaffed, self-service Post Office in Vienna, VA, that allows customers to conduct most shipping and mailing transactions quickly and easily themselves. The self-service Post Office provides round-the-clock accessibility to P.O. Boxes, as well as self-service kiosks and an automated package drop.
first post office
The first Post Office in America was established in a tavern in Boston in 1639.
and the U.S. Mail
Extra! Extra! American newspapers largely owe their existence to Post Offices. As part of the Post Office Act of 1792, newspapers were permitted to be mailed at extremely low rates. By the start of the 19th century, newspapers made up the bulk of the U.S. Mail.
delivered by mail
The farm-to-table concept isn’t new. From 1914 to 1920, the farm-to-table program was a novel initiative that allowed farmers to arrange prices with people in urban areas and then mail them fresh meats, eggs, dairy products, produce, honey, jelly and more. This was a way to give farmers more customers and city dwellers greater and cheaper access to fresh goods.
CREATIVE
© is for creative. The Postal Service has more than 500 copyright registrations, many of them to protect artwork on postage stamps.
service men and women
Honoring service members. The Postal Service proudly partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide burial flags to families of deceased veterans. In 2024, the Postal Service provided 348,285 burial flags.
of the world's mail
We're global. The Postal Service processes and delivers 44 percent of the world’s mail and is constantly innovating to make customer experiences better.
mailing industry
We're all heart. The Postal Service is the heart of the $1.9 trillion United States mailing industry, which employs more than 7.9 million people.
The U.S. Postal Service upholds its promise to deliver the nation’s Election Mail securely and on time, consistent with the organization’s non-partisan public service mission.
Election Mail consists of mail to or from election officials,
including ballots, ballot applications, registration forms
and other items that enable citizens to participate in the voting process. The Postal Service is committed to delivering the nation’s Election Mail securely and on time, consistent with the organization’s nonpartisan public service mission.
During the general election period of Sept. 1-Nov. 15, 2024, the Postal Service delivered at least 99.22 million ballots to or from voters.
The Postal Service supports voters choosing to use the U.S. Mail to return their ballots, whether it’s for a seat on the local school board or for the president of the United States — and everything in between.
in continental U.S.
The largest ZIP Code in the continental U.S. is 99734, Prudhoe Bay, AK, which measures 30,683 square miles.
Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska — ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14th spot goes to 89049 in Nevada.
in contiguous U.S.
The largest ZIP Code in the contiguous U.S. is 89049, Tonopah, NV, at 10,821 square miles.
Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska – ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14th spot goes to Nevada, 89049.
deliver!
The Postal Service moves mail by planes, hovercraft, trains, trucks, cars, boats, ferries, helicopters, subways, bicycles, mules and feet.
mailpieces per minute
The Postal Service processed an average of 257,813 pieces of mail each minute in 2024.
371.3 million — average number of mailpieces processed and delivered each day
15.5 million — average number of mailpieces processed each hour
257,813 — average number of mailpieces processed each minute
4,297 — average number of mailpieces processed each second
mailpieces per second
On average, the Postal Service processed 4,297 pieces of mail each second in 2024.
371.3 million — average number of mailpieces processed and delivered each day
15.5 million — average number of mailpieces processed each hour
257,813 — average number of mailpieces processed each minute
4,297 — average number of mailpieces processed each second
packages processed daily
The Postal Service processed and delivered an average of 23.9 million packages a day in 2024.
USPS fleet of feet
There are 6,450 carriers who deliver mail entirely on foot. These carriers are our fleet of feet.
address changes daily
On average, the Postal Service processed 27,201 address changes each day of 2024.
people visit usps.com daily
On average, 12 million people visit usps.com each day.
new delivery points added
In 2024, 2 million new delivery points were added in the country.
residential delivery points
In 2024, the Postal Service delivered to 156 million residential addresses.
business delivery points
In 2024, the Postal Service delivered to 12.6 million business addresses.
JUST NUTS!
Coconuts can be mailed without a box. Simply address the coconut and add your return addresses on the husk, have it weighed for appropriate postage, and it is shipped as-is. Photo: Coconuts ready for mailing at the Molokai, HI, Post Office.
potatoes in the mail
It's SPUDTACULAR! As with coconuts, potatoes can be mailed without a box. Simply write the address it's going to and your return addresses on the spud, have it weighed for appropriate postage, and it can be shipped as-is. Let someone know they are special. Send a tater!
in the mail
Hope in the mail. In 1958, luxury jeweler Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution. With his years of experience in shipping jewelry all over the world, Winston sent the diamond via Registered Mail service with the Post Office Department.
The diamond was placed in a box, wrapped in brown paper, and sent by registered mail from New York in a Railway Post Office train car. In Washington, DC, it was picked up by a mail carrier and driven to the National Museum of Natural History. The price paid for shipping the gem, valued at $1 million at the time, was $145.29, most of that for package insurance.
gold in the mail
Under the watchful security of the Postal Inspection Service, Railway Mail Service clerks transferred some of the $9 billion in gold bullion shipped as Registered Mail from the New York City Assay Office to the depository at Fort Knox, KY, in 1941.
The Inspection Service provided security and management in the cooperative effort between the Post Office Department, local law enforcement, U.S. Army and U.S. Treasury Department.
in the mail??
Do not try to ship your kids! In the early days of Parcel Post service, a few parents managed to mail their children to relatives. In 1913, an 8-month-old baby in Ohio was mailed by his parents to his grandmother, who lived a few miles away. The baby was safely delivered! Regulations were quickly established to prevent any additional mailing of children through the U.S. Mail.
BRICK IN THE MAIL
Individual bricks can be shipped in the U.S. Mail. Get a permanent marker, write the address and your return address, get it weighed and add the postage. Send that special someone a brick of affection.
Just don’t think you can send enough bricks to build a house or, perhaps a bank. Been there. Done that. You can read about the bank of Vernal, UT, here.
SOCIAL
The Postal Service is the original social network, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t active on the other, newer social networks.
Facebook — facebook.com/usps
Instagram — instagram.com/uspostalservice
LinkedIn — linkedin.com/company/usps
Pinterest — pinterest.com/uspsstamps
Podcast — usps-mailin-it.simplecast.com/
Postal Blog — uspsblog.com
Threads — threads.com/@uspostalservice
X — x.com/usps
YouTube — youtube.com/usps
GREETINGS
Informed Greetings blends the traditional “mail moment” with a modern digital experience by integrating a personalized digital message into the recipient’s USPS Informed Delivery email when they receive a physical greeting card.
Customers can also select artwork that complements their card from hundreds of designs in six different categories.
Trademarks
The Sonic Eagle Logo, the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following marks are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service: Click-N-Ship®, Deliver The Win®, EDDM®, ePostage®, Every Door Direct Mail®, Express Mail®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, First-Class Package International Service®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, IMb®, Informed Delivery®, Intelligent Mail®, Label Broker™, Parcel Select®, P.O. Box™, Post Office®, Pony Express®, Postal Inspection Service™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, #PostalProud®, Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail Flat Rate®, Priority Mail International®, Priority: You®, Registered Mail™, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Inspection Service®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail®, U.S. Postal Inspector™, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS BlueEarth®, USPS Mobile®, USPS Operation Santa®, USPS Tracking®, usps.com®, We are people delivering to people™, ZIP+4® and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Non-Postal Trademarks
Dollar General®, Forest Stewardship Council®, How2Recycle®, McDonald’s®, National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, Starbucks®, Subway®, Sustainable Forestry Initiative®, The Climate Registry®.
Postal Facts 2024 provides the public with information about the U.S. Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, in a business, informational or academic context and the like, and in the body of text discussing factual subject matter relevant to the fact being presented. However, these facts may become outdated after publication and seeking the latest information is advised.
Produced by U.S. Postal Service Corporate Communications
© 2024 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
© 2016-2025 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
The Sonic Eagle Logo, the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following marks are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service: Click-N-Ship®, Deliver The Win®, EDDM®, ePostage®, Every Door Direct Mail®, Express Mail®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, First-Class Package International Service®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, IMb®, Informed Delivery®, Intelligent Mail®, Label Broker™, Parcel Select®, P.O. Box™, Post Office®, Pony Express®, Postal Inspection Service™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, #PostalProud®, Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail Flat Rate®, Priority Mail International®, Priority: You®, Registered Mail™, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Inspection Service®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail®, U.S. Postal Inspector™, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS BlueEarth®, USPS Mobile®, USPS Operation Santa®, USPS Tracking®, usps.com®, We are people delivering to people™, ZIP+4® and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Non-Postal Trademarks
Dollar General®, Forest Stewardship Council®, How2Recycle®, McDonald’s®, National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, Starbucks®, Subway®, Sustainable Forestry Initiative®, The Climate Registry®.
Postal Facts 2024 provides the public with information about the U.S. Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, in a business, informational or academic context and the like, and in the body of text discussing factual subject matter relevant to the fact being presented. However, these facts may become outdated after publication and seeking the latest information is advised.
Produced by U.S. Postal Service Corporate Communications
© 2024 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
© 2016-2025 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
