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The State of the Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: Nearly 167 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
This page gives a brief overview of the current state of the USPS operations in the areas that matter to you most.
SERVICE
Service performance is a measurement of the speed and reliability of mail services. The Postal Service measures mail from collection to delivery to report on its own performance. Service performance is the speed and reliability with which a postal service meets its established delivery standards. The Postal Service measures on-time delivery of mail from collection to delivery to report on its performance.
MAIL VOLUME
In FY 2006, the Postal Service delivered a total of 213 billion pieces of mail. That was its peak. Since then, mail volume has drastically declined.
The Postal Service is self-funded, and it relies on its customers to buy its products. When customers are buying stamps and mailing packages, it is more likely its revenue will cover its costs.
The chart above displays the Postal Service's total mail volume. In FY 2024, the Postal Service delivered 112 billion pieces of mail, a loss of 101 billion pieces, or nearly 50 percent, from FY 2006's peak of 213 billion.
Data source (1970-2023): USPS Periodic Report
Data source (2024): USPS Form 10-K FY 2024
Further Insight
SERVICE PERFORMANCE
This chart illustrates on-time delivery performance of First-Class Mail, Single-Piece Letters and Postcards in FY 2024 compared to the year prior. Overall, in FY 2024, the Postal Service's on-time performance for Single-Piece Letters and Postcards was below the Postal Service's on-time performance in FY 2023.
Each year, the Commission must make a written determination as to whether the Postal Service achieved the stated performance target for meeting the established service standards. Here, a “standard” is the number of days the Postal Service has determined it will take a specific type of mail to be delivered.
The Commission compares the percentage of mail pieces that achieve the service standard against the Postal Service's self-established targets.
Data source: USPS Service Performance Dashboard
Further Insight
FINANCIAL
The Postal Service is generally funded by ratepayers (customers who pay for its services), rather than taxpayers. Congress did, however, authorize taxpayer-funded support for the Postal Service in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. In general, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund operations. The Postal Service continues to face long-term systemic challenges to its business model.
NET INCOME
The Postal Service's financial position worsened in FY 2024 compared to FY 2023. Overall, the Postal Service has not covered its costs since 2006 when mail volume was at its peak.
At the end of 2024, the Postal Service reported a $9.5 billion net loss for the fiscal year.
Data source (2007-2023): PRC Financial Report
Data source (2024): USPS Form 10-K FY 2024
Further Insight
RATES
The Postal Service has been increasing rates as its costs go up. The Postal Service has announced the intention not to raise rates for market dominant products in January of 2025, and to pause market dominant rate increases until at least July of 2025.
Data source: Rates for Domestic Letters
Further Insight
OPERATIONS
Total Factor Productivity is the measure of the efficiency of postal operations.
TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY
Total Factor Productivity is the ratio of total output relative to total input. In layman's terms, TFP measures how many resources an organization is using to provide its products and services.
Data source: USPS-FY23-17
Further Insight