U.S. mail

The U.S. market for domestic mail delivery is by far the largest in the world, and a recent report found its prices are very low compared to other developed countries. The U.S. Postal Service said this week that it wants to raise rates in July.

The Forever Stamp is forever rising in price. How does the U.S. cost compare globally?

10:41pm April 12, 2024

by Bill Chappell

U.S. stamps are heading for their sixth price hike since 2021. In raw numbers, only four countries in a recent study of 31 developed nations had cheaper stamps than the U.S.

A U.S. Postal Service letter carrier delivers the mail in Shelbyville, Ky. A White House task force recommended ending the mailbox monopoly held by USPS.

National

Your Mailbox Could Be Opened Up To Private Carriers

8:07am February 02, 2019

by Emily Sullivan

By law, only you and the Postal Service are allowed to put things in your mailbox. But what if companies like FedEx and UPS could do it too? That could happen under a Trump administration proposal.

An example of the Informed Delivery email.

National

New USPS Service Gives You A Peek Into Your Mailbox Before You Get Home

12:00pm March 27, 2017

by Cecilia Mazanec

Remember when you were excited to see what's in the mail? These days it seems we're getting fewer letters and more junk, but the U.S. Postal Service will soon let you preview what's coming your way.

Sending Your Holiday Mail By Way Of Rudolph, Wis.

11:18am December 24, 2014

by NPR Staff

For most of the year, the tiny town of Rudolph is best known for the cheese factory off Main Street. But around Christmas, people worldwide covet a Rudolph, Wis., postmark on their cards and letters.

Queue Listen Now