Postal Facts - U.S. Postal Service
We make the connection. Friends and families, businesses and customers. The United States Postal Service delivers to every address in America, from the biggest cities to the smallest hamlets. The U.S. Mail is part of the fundamental infrastructure of this nation. It is a basic connection between all of the people and all of their institutions. This is our mandate — binding the nation together. This is our commitment — providing secure, reliable, affordable delivery of mail and packages. Always have, always will. It’s what we do.
The Postal Service processed and delivered an average of 429.9M mail pieces daily in 2020.
The price of a First-Class postage stamp is a global bargain.
The Postal Service sends 3.3 million pounds of international, military and diplomatic mail and packages weekly, using 64 international airlines, comprised of 11 US Flag Carriers and their affiliates.
International Mail is a $2.4 billion business for the Postal Service.
The Postal Service is worldwide, shipping to many countries and working closely with other posts to improve service and increase its annual share of the international shipping market at the same time.
The U.S. Postal Service delivers more mail than any other post in the world. The Postal Service serves 161.4 million addresses in the country — covering every state, city and town. Everyone living in the United States and its territories has access to postal products and services and pays the same for a First-Class Mail postage stamp regardless of location.
There are 31,330 Postal Service-managed retail offices. This number doesn't include contract offices.
The Postal Service leased 23,050 properties in 2020.
The Postal Service owns 8,440 properties around the country.
The Postal Service is the original social network, but that doesn't mean we aren't represented on the others. You can find the Postal Service on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Veterans. The Postal Service employs nearly 73,000 military veterans, making it one of the largest employers of veterans in the country. The organization has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Service Cross Medals stamps.
POSTAL BLUE
is going green
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. The 2020 energy reduction in postal buildings equated to powering more than 36,000 U.S. homes and the Postal Service is expanding solar powered facilities in 2021.
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.
The Postal Service uses a vast network of people and advanced technologies to collect, process, transport and accurately deliver the nation’s mail in an increasingly digital world.
The Postal Service invests more than $590 million in training its workforce. The organization encourages employees to take advantage of self-paced career development by offering 7,600 online courses and 26 educational partnerships offering discounts towards degree and certification programs.
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 nearly two-and-a-half centuries, it has adapted to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
As an independent establishment of the executive branch, the Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. Since it is not funded by annual appropriations from Congress, it is not subject to government shutdowns.
With more than 34,000 retail locations, more than 10 million daily visits on usps.com and delivering to 148.6 million residences and 12.8 million businesses at least 6 days a week, the Postal Service is committed to providing a positive customer experience.
Everyone living in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Mariana Islands) has access to postal products and services and pays the same for a First-Class Mail postage stamp regardless of their location.
Leaving a mark! The Postal Service has 475 domestic and 966 foreign trademark registrations.
The Postal Service owns 1,884 internet domains
We keep running and running! The Postal Service purchased 84,000 vehicle batteries in 2020.
The Postal Service ordered 550,000 wiper blades in 2020.
The Postal Service moves mail by planes, hovercraft, trains, trucks, cars, boats, ferries, helicopters, subways, bicycles, mules and feet. #WeDeliverForYou
The Postal Service provides a vital public service that is a part of the nation's critical infrastructure. 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).
The Postal Service purchased 703,000 tires in 2020. If they were placed side-by-side, this tire line would measure 360 miles - the distance between New York City and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
17.7 million
mailpieces each hour
On average, the Postal Service processes 17.7 million mail pieces each hour, 295,000 each minute and 5,000 each second.
The Postal Service ordered more than 717 million rubber bands in 2020, totaling about 39,304 miles of material that could wrap around Earth 1.6 times!
In 2020, the Postal Service received $343.5 million in revenue from 2,732 postal self-service kiosks (SSK).
Every two weeks, the Postal Service pays $2.1 billion in salaries and benefits.
Forty-three percent of the world's mail volume is handled by the U.S. Postal Service.
Louis DeJoy is the 75th Postmaster General of the United States.
4.34 million
passport applications
The Postal Service accepted 4.34 million passport applications in 2020.
If it were a private sector company, the Postal Service would rank 46th in the 2020 Fortune 500. In the 2020 Global Fortune 500 list, we ranked 141st.
5.3 million
corporate emails daily
With one of the largest corporate email systems, in 2020, the Postal Service handled more than 5.3 million legitimate emails a day delivered to more than 216,000 email accounts.
Trademarks
The 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®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, IMb®, Informed Delivery®, Intelligent Mail®, Parcel Select®, P.O. Box™, Post Office®, Pony Express®, Postal Inspection Service™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, PostalProud®, 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®, ZIP+4® and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Non-Postal Trademarks
Forest Stewardship Council®, McDonald’s®, National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, Starbucks®, Sustainable Forestry Initiative®, Walmart®
Postal Facts 2020 provides the public with information about the Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, and in a business, informational, 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.
Visit about.usps.com for more information.
Produced by Corporate Communications
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