USPS Is Closing Locations Nationwide – See Which States Are Affected
Contract Postal Units Shuttering in Seven States
Reports have emerged from local news outlets in Arizona, Illinois, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington confirming that Contract Postal Units are receiving termination notices from USPS. These aren’t your typical post offices. Contract postal units (CPUs) are independent businesses under contract to the USPS to provide postal products and services to the public. Some have been operating in their local community for decades.
The Financial Crisis Driving These Closures
Let’s be real, USPS is bleeding money. In the fiscal year ending September 2024, the agency reported a $9.5 billion loss, an increase from the $6.5 billion net loss recorded in 2023. That’s a staggering jump in just one year. The independent federal agency has struggled financially in recent years and, in 2021, launched a 10-year “Delivering for America” plan aimed at restoring the Postal Service’s financial stability to address these mounting challenges.
Mail Processing Facility Consolidations Affecting Dozens of Locations
Since starting the MPFR process in July 2023, USPS has initiated 59 reviews. Here’s the thing, this process isn’t just paperwork. In May 2024, USPS announced it was pausing all in-process MPFRs until January 2025. According to USPS’s announcement, this decision was in part a response to concerns from the public and Congress about the effects of facility consolidations. The pause was temporary, though, and consolidations are now moving forward again across multiple regions.
Massachusetts Locations Hit Particularly Hard
USPS management decisions have hindered postal services across the state, including the closures of the Medway Main Street Post Office and the Watertown Square Post Office according to a 2024 congressional letter. On August 26, 2023, the Medway Main Street Post Office closed abruptly. By February 22, 2024, USPS was required by statute to announce a site for relocation but failed to do so. The Town of Medway is still without an adequate Post Office location.
Washington CPU Faces September Deadline
One CPU located in Rankos Stadium Pharmacy in Tacoma, Washington, which is due to close at the end of September, has organized a petition in a bid to stop the closure. The community isn’t going down without a fight. Rankos Stadium Pharmacy wrote they do NOT accept termination of their agreement, serve people who need mailing and postal services, and do it to serve their community.
How USPS Justifies Terminating Contracts
Under the CPU contract terms, the Postal Service and CPU operators both agreed that either party can terminate the contract upon giving 120 days’ notice. It’s technically legal, sure. According to the USPS, termination notices have been given in some cases where nearby post offices that are operated by the Postal Service are capable of serving the community directly according to a statement given to Fox 10. That sounds reasonable on paper, but the reality for affected communities looks quite different when you consider accessibility and convenience factors.
Post Office Suspensions Creating Limbo for Communities
Postal Service guidance states that suspended Post Offices must be resolved by either re-opening or closing the facilities permanently, processes which typically take place within 180 to 280 days. However, in many instances Post Offices remain suspended beyond that window. Between 2012 and 2016, the number of suspended Post Offices more than tripled. That’s a pattern showing systemic issues with how USPS handles these transitions.
Broader Processing Network Consolidations Underway
The Postal Service has published notices of intent to consolidate thirty more processing & distribution centers, with each P&DC likely to be modernized and repurposed as a Local Processing Center according to April 2024 notices. Consolidation studies are underway or completed for about 29 other facilities, bringing the total to 59 so far. Honestly, that’s a massive restructuring effort happening largely under the radar for most Americans.
Historical Context Shows Ongoing Decline
Despite its continued relevancy, the number of post offices in the US is in decline, with more than a thousand shuttered on average every decade. Since 2000, closures have slowed, with just 1,634 closing up to early 2025. Kentucky has been hit the hardest over time. Analysis of state-level data shows that fewer than a third of the 1,892 post offices that have opened in Kentucky remain operational and active. Kentucky has closed 64% of its post offices.
What This Means for Your Community
The closures and consolidations aren’t just statistics or bureaucratic shuffling. They represent real changes to how millions of Americans access essential postal services, particularly in rural areas where alternatives are limited. Since starting the MPFR process in July 2023, USPS has initiated 59 reviews. In May 2024, USPS announced it was pausing all in-process MPFRs until January 2025 in part as a response to concerns from the public and Congress showing that public pressure can make a difference. Whether these changes improve efficiency or reduce access depends largely on where you live and how far you’ll need to travel for postal services going forward.
