Reference page
U.S. mailbox and mail delivery statistics.
Eight current figures that put curbside mail delivery in context, from the size of the national network to rural route coverage and the placement guidance homeowners need before setting a mailbox.
Last updated September 23, 2026. Every figure below links to its original source.
At a glance
Mail delivery is a national network, but every mailbox is local.
Mailbox decisions often start at the edge of a driveway, yet they sit within a delivery system that reaches more than 170 million points nationwide. This page gathers the most useful current figures in one place for homeowners, writers, builders, and anyone researching curbside mail delivery.
For a mailbox installation, local conditions still matter. The USPS curbside mailbox standard says customers should contact their local post office before installing a mailbox to confirm the right placement and height for their route.
170.4 million
delivery points nationwide
The Postal Service delivered mail and packages to 170,389,351 delivery points in fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report to Congress, published 2026.
157.8 million
residential delivery points
Residential addresses made up the vast majority of the national delivery network in fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Postal Facts, May 15, 2026.
12.6 million
business delivery points
USPS reported 12.6 million business delivery points in fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Postal Facts, May 15, 2026.
1.8 million
new delivery points added in 2025
The delivery network added 1,810,633 points from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report to Congress, published 2026.
236,347
delivery routes
USPS maintained 236,347 city, rural, and contract delivery routes across the country in fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report to Congress, published 2026.
85,396
rural delivery routes
Rural routes represented more than one-third of all USPS delivery routes in fiscal year 2025.
Source: USPS Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report to Congress, published 2026.
66.3 million
people living in rural areas
The 2020 Census counted 66,300,254 people in rural areas, equal to 20% of the U.S. population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Urban Areas Facts, updated June 2023.
41–45 inches
general curbside mailbox height
USPS guidance says curbside mailboxes are generally installed 41 to 45 inches from the road surface, with the mailbox door set back 6 to 8 inches from the curb or road edge.
Source: USPS curbside mailbox standard, accessed September 23, 2026.
What it means
Start with the delivery requirements, then make the post your own.
USPS sets requirements for how a curbside mailbox works with delivery, not a single approved look for the post below it. Its published standard says it does not approve mailbox posts or regulate mounting accessories beyond the stated placement, clearance, and safety requirements.
That leaves room for a practical mailbox post that also belongs with the home, driveway, and landscape. For a custom cedar post, the useful starting details are the mailbox dimensions, door swing, the planned location, and any address, cap, or lighting details that need to be part of the design.
See Outdoor Selections’ custom cedar mailbox postMethodology and sources
How this reference is maintained.
This page uses primary public sources. Postal-network figures come from USPS fiscal year 2025 reporting and its May 2026 Postal Facts update. Rural-population context comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census. Placement guidance comes from the USPS curbside mailbox standard.
- USPS Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report to Congress, published 2026.
- USPS Postal Facts: Size and Scope, May 15, 2026.
- USPS curbside mailbox standard SPUSPS-STD-7C01, accessed September 23, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census Urban Areas Facts, updated June 2023.
This reference is reviewed monthly, or sooner when a primary source publishes a material update.
Cite this page
Outdoor Selections. “U.S. Mailbox and Mail Delivery Statistics.” Updated September 23, 2026. https://outdoorselections.com/mailbox-statistics