The States That Handle the Most Mail

Whether it’s to send a birthday card to a family member or a postcard advertising your business, you’ve likely sent something through the mail in your lifetime — no matter where you live. Although everyone sends mail, some states handle more than others. This is due to various factors. Some states naturally handle more mail than others due to large population sizes. Others may be business hubs where multiple industries operate out of. Regardless of the reason, states that handle more mail will be busier. In this guide, we’ve ranked the top ten states that handle the most mail. Knowing this information is essential to understand how the postage system works and how it will grow in the future.

How Busy States Affect Your Mail Delivery

Living in a state that handles a high volume of mail can have a noticeable impact on your daily postal experience. In busier states, where large cities or regional hubs process significant amounts of mail, residents and employers may encounter occasional delays, especially during peak seasons like the holidays. High mail volume can slow processing times, leading to longer delivery windows or minor inconsistencies in tracking updates.

On the other hand, states that handle large quantities of mail often have more robust postal infrastructure, with regional distribution centers and advanced sorting facilities designed to manage the increased load. Even though the sheer volume can cause occasional bottlenecks, these states are also typically better equipped to process and deliver mail efficiently.

While living in a busy mail-handling state can sometimes lead to delays, it also means benefiting from a well-developed postal network that strives to keep pace with the higher volume.

How Much Mail Do States Handle?

According to the United States Postal Service (USPS), they delivered 116.2 billion letters, postcards, boxes, and other postage in 2023. That’s a lot of mail to handle. Some states contribute to this figure more than others, though. Although the USPS has no available data on how much mail each state handles, we can generally understand which states are busier than others based on various factors.

For one, more people in each state will naturally produce more mail. According to a 2022 USPS Household Diary Study that evaluated nationwide data on mail, more than 83% of U.S.-based mail came from households. Although households were primarily responsible for receiving and generating mail, businesses were also influential in generating mail, as 65.3% of mail given to these households came from advertising materials from businesses. As a result, the average household received 15.4 pieces of mail and sent one piece of mail a week. Yearly, the average household received 802 and sent 50 pieces of mail. Multiply that for every person and household in the state, and that’s a lot of mail!

In addition, different characteristics of each household can also dictate the amount of mail a state processes. The same 2022 USPS study found that households with higher incomes generate more mail than those who don’t. These households may sign up for more newsletters, pay more bills, and order more packages than those with lower incomes.

Thirdly, the number of USPS locations can also show how much mail the state processes. As more people generate mail in a given state, the USPS will evaluate whether there is enough demand to open up a new USPS location to maintain quality for residents.

Because of these factors, we can understand that states with higher populations, more businesses, more USPS locations, and a higher average household income will have more mail to process.

U.S. States that Handle the Most Mail

To organize states that handle the most mail, we tallied the following information:

• The number of active USPS locations per state listed on their official website;
• The population size of each state according to 2024 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau;
• The number of businesses of each state according to various state and federal sources.

With this data, we averaged the totals for each factor to generate a “score.” From here, we compared these scores with the state's average household income and ranked the states accordingly. In addition, we factored in each state's growth and whether the amount of mail each state generates will fluctuate in the future. Given this analysis, we found that the following states handle the most mail.

California

California may not be the largest state, but it does house the most people, with over 38,965,193 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Because of the high population, the state boasts 1,043 USPS locations. These locations also serve 1.7 million private businesses, according to the Private Policy Institute of California, that employ more than 15 million people. Businesses that provide the most revenue to the state include financing, insurance, real estate, trade and transportation, professional services, and manufacturing industries.

Each industry produces a high level of mail. For example, key industries like manufacturing and trade services often require frequent shipments. “Professional services” also send a lot of physical mail to advertise services and communicate with clients, thus making California the 6th busiest state on our list.

California residents also earn a high average household income of $89,870, one of the highest in our ranking. With this income, California residents receive and send the most mail out of any state.

Despite its already large population, California continues to grow. In 2023 alone, 67,000 people moved to the state. The more people move to the state, the more mail centers will open to accommodate this influx of people and businesses.

Texas

Texas is one of the largest states in the United States, apart from Alaska, with over 268,000 miles for postal workers to deliver mail through the state. Due to its physical size and large cities like Dallas, Austin, and Houston, Texas is another busy state we’ve included on our list. They have over 1391 locations throughout the state to accommodate 30,503,301 people who use them. This same population also has an average income of $75,780, enabling Texans to send more packages and pieces of mail.

Many businesses also send mail in Texas — 3.2 small businesses. These businesses work in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, aviation and defense, corporate services, energy, and information technology. These industries require confidential and trusted services that only the USPS can provide.

The state is also not showing any signs of slowing down its mail usage. As one of the largest growing states in the country, Texas may require even more mail to meet the demands of the public and private sectors.

Florida

As the sunshine state, Florida scores third in our ranking as they have the third largest population size with 22,610,726 people and almost as many businesses as Texas at 3,000,000. Although Florida only has 454 USPS locations, the proliferation of businesses and people can easily make these few USPS locations flooded with mail. This is especially true considering the business industries that operate out of Florida, such as:

• Advanced manufacturing;
• Aerospace and defense;
• Digital media;
• Life sciences and healthcare;
• Fintech, gaming;
• Simulation;
• Medical technology;
• Entertainment technology;
• Pharmaceuticals;
• Logistics and distribution.
  
  

In particular, the logistics and distribution sector can increase the amount of mail that moves through Florida, considering its strategic position on the coast as a gateway for international shipments.

With an average household income of $72,200, Florida’s residents are more likely to contribute to consumer mail activity through physical bill payments and receive e-commerce packages.

New York

The Empire State is famous for the city that never sleeps, but it should be known as the third busiest in processing and delivering mail. In total, the state has 1472 USPS locations. This is because 19,571,216 people live in the state. Again, this figure does not include those sending mail from the state, even though they live elsewhere due to travel or business purposes. Residents who live in New York contribute to the average household income of $81,600. With this income, residents of New York are more likely to generate more mail than other states.

New York is also a large employer — the U.S. Small Business Administration published a 2022 report finding that 2.3 million small businesses work there. These businesses include those in industries like tourism, homeland and cybersecurity, distribution, television and film, software and digital media, and material processing. These industries likely utilize physical mail to advertise their services, communicate with clients, and send large shipments.

Despite the large size of New York’s industry mail, the state recently experienced a population decline, especially during the 2020 pandemic. If this decline continues, less mail may fluctuate within the state.

Pennsylvania

While Pennsylvania is one of the oldest states in the United States, it’s also the fourth busiest in sending and generating mail, as many people still live and work in the Keystone State. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 12,961,683 people live in Pennsylvania. This population also earns an average household income of $73,170. While not the most enormous income included on this list, Pennsylvania’s population is more than large enough to ensure that the state stays one of the busiest states.

Pennsylvania is also an industry epicenter for advanced manufacturing, food processing, energy production, medical technology, and corporate headquarters. These industries employ over 1.1 million small businesses and 2.5 million individuals, according to a 2022 estimate from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development. These businesses and people generate a lot of mail, causing 1631 USPS locations to continually process and deliver mail for residents and employees alike.

The state also expects urban areas to grow nearly 6% by 2050, indicating that more mail processing locations will arise as more residents send personal mail and businesses continue to open in these areas.

Illinois

Illinois is home to one of the busiest cities in the MidWest: Chicago. This city and others around it naturally add to how busy mail centers can be in the state. According to the U.S. Census, 12,549,689 people live in Illinois. This population lives off of an average household income of $80,306. Because of the large population and the amount of mail generated by a higher-than-average household income, the USPS has over 1187 USPS locations in Pennsylvania, enabling the state to land in the top five of those that handle the most mail.

According to Intersect Illinois, over 1.2 million businesses operate in Illinois, primarily out of Chicago. The same article also found that many businesses operate in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, transportation, and life sciences. These industries rely heavily on the USPS system, which also adds to the overall business of mail centers.

Although Illinois's population has declined and stagnated in the past, it has recently experienced a rise. In 2020, more than 250,000 people moved to the state. If this trend continues, more mail will fluctuate throughout the state.

Ohio

Many may assume Ohio is a small, rural state in the Midwest, but with up-and-coming cities like Cincinnati, residents and entrepreneurs contribute to a high influx of mail. With 996,693 small businesses, Ohio's economy thrives on industries such as professional, scientific, and technical services, construction, real estate, manufacturing, and waste management, according to the state’s Department of Development.

These businesses contribute heavily to mail activity, with construction entrepreneurs and real estate agents using direct mail marketing to advertise their services to a growing housing market. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the housing market is growing so much that over 11,785,193 people now live in the state, living off an average household salary of $66,990, thus adding to the overall mail activity.

Georgia

While Georgia may be known for its production of peaches, the state produces arguably more mail thanks to its large population of 11,029,227 people and 1.2 million businesses. Even though there are only 598 USPS locations, Georgia’s businesses are large mail producers. For example, its expanding film and entertainment industry, along with electric vehicle manufacturing and industry sectors, typically sends a lot of shipments and financial documents to other states in the country.

Still, we shouldn’t doubt the power of Georgian citizens, either. With an average income of $74,632, residents have the buying power to order e-commerce packages and respond to direct mail advertisements in the mail.

Michigan

Michigan is home to Motor City, the birthplace of large automotive manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. Although the state has significantly adapted since its heyday in the 20th century, it’s still a significant economic epicenter in the country and, as a result, contributes plenty of mail as well.

Michigan only has 799 locations — the lowest amount on the list. However, with over 902,000 small businesses, it’s still among the top states that generate mail. With businesses that operate in industries like manufacturing, life sciences and medical devices, automotive manufacturing, corporate services, technology, engineering, and defense and aerospace technology, Michigan mail centers handle plenty of mail. This includes mail, such as direct mail advertising, product shipments, and other essential documentation. The automotive manufacturing industry, in particular, drives a high demand for shipping.

In addition, Michigan is a growing state, with the state expecting 231,000 people to come between 2022 and 2034, contributing to the already robust population of 10,037,261. As of 2021, the average household income was $63,202, according to the American Community Survey. Michigan residents with this average income will send and receive mail of any type — for personal or business — thus adding to mail activity.

New Jersey

New Jersey's population of 9,290,841 and 514 USPS locations significantly contribute to the national mail flow. The state’s 953,416 small businesses span industries such as significant pharmaceuticals, life sciences, financial services, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and transportation and logistics.

The pharmaceutical and life sciences industries generate a high volume of mail, particularly for medical shipments. The state’s financial services and IT sectors also contribute significantly, with frequent mailings of sensitive documents, contracts, and client correspondence.

With an average household income of $91,590, New Jersey’s residents also participate in high levels of consumer mail, from e-commerce deliveries to financial paperwork. The diverse economy, high average income, and high population density make New Jersey one of the busiest states when handling mail.

Limitations

While we did our best to rank the states based on available data, we understand that limitations could slightly affect the outcome. Since the USPS has no available data on how much mail each state receives, sends, and handles, we had to look at surrounding data to estimate our ranking.

For example, while the USPS does open up new locations to meet the residents’ demands, some states may have more locations to accommodate residents in each town who may live too far from the closest post office. Because of this, we decided to average the totals for the number of USPS locations in each state, the number of people in each state, and the number of businesses in each state. Our goal with this action was to avoid giving too much weight to the number of USPS locations, although it is still an influencing factor.

Mail is constantly changing. As more people move in and out of states, economic conditions change in each state, and mail ebbs and flows. As a result, this list of states that handle the most mail will likely change in the next decade as the USPS opens and closes different locations across the country.

Although we can’t predict how exactly this list will change soon, we can say that these top ten states keep the USPS running. Even as society shifts to more digital forms of communication, the data collected here indicates that we’ll likely never fully move away from physical mail. With it, we can maintain relationships, grow businesses, and function as a society.