The United States Postal Service has a big impact on our daily lives, but many don’t know much about the agency.
These are the numbers behind how the Post Office brings the nation together.
Mail Volume
- 142.6 billion pieces of mail delivered in 2019
- 160 million delivery points
- 496,934 career employees
- 231,807 delivery routes
- 228,000 vehicles
Rural Routes
- There are 13,000 “Main Streets” in the U.S.
- The shortest rural route is 2.3 miles. It is Parker, Colorado
- The longest rural route is 190.7 miles in Sydney, Montana.
- Mule delivery is available to the Havasupai Indians at the bottom of the Grand Canyon
- Dock-to-dock delivery is available alongside Montana’s Magnolia River.
- The oldest post office is in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. The original building has been in use since 1816.
- The smallest post office building is 61.3 square feet. It is across from a tomato farm.
- The most centered post office in the lower 48 states is in Lebanon, Kansas.
- The most centered post office within all 50 states is in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
Size and Scope
- $26 billion in salaries and benefits paid annually
- 1.34 billion miles traveled for delivers in 2019. That’s enough for 15 trips to the son.
- 48 percent of the world’s mail is handled by the Postal Service.
- 31,322 active retail Post Offices
- 811.8 million customer visits to retail post offices
- 141,900 collection boxes
- 750 million rubber bands ordered in 2019. That many rubber bands could wrap around the Earth 1.7 times.
- 579,000 tires ordered in 2019. That’s 244 miles worth of tires.
- 42,000 active zip codes
- 2.6 billion visits to USPS.com in 2019