The Great Consolidation: Post Offices, Farms and School Districts, 1900–2025
Topic: Land, Food & Wildlife · Education & Knowledge
In this chart: US post offices, US farms, US public school districts
About this chart
Each shaft is one nationwide count (post offices, farms or public school districts), full at the most it has ever held, so the depth of the liquid below the bar at the top is how far it stands below its own record. A line is dropped from the top to the surface with a weight resting on it, and marks on the line count tenths of the high. Under each shaft are its share of its high, its name and the amount it holds; a shaft is drawn empty and dashed before its record begins. The year runs at the top right. The animation runs the record over twenty seconds, holds on the last year, and loops. The scrubber under the chart marks every year and labels the decades, and pauses on any year.
Method
Three counts of American institutions are drawn side by side, each as a shaft that is full at the highest count on record, so a shaft's depth below the top is its fall from its own peak. Post offices are the number of post offices in each year from the Annual Report of the Postmaster General, as the Postal Service's historian tabulates them; they peaked at 76,945 in 1901. Farms are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual estimate of the number of farms, from 1910; they peaked at 6,813,700 in 1935. The estimate has steps where the Department revised it, visible in 1975, 1993 and 2007, and the chart draws the figures as published. School districts are the regular public school districts the National Center for Education Statistics counts, from the 1939–40 school year, placed at the year each school year ends; its first figure, 117,108, is its highest. Its counts come every year or two, and between them the level moves in a straight line; its latest figure, for 2022–23, holds to the end of the chart. Every figure on the page is computed from the rows the page serves.
Data sources
- USPS Historian — Pieces of Mail Handled, Number of Post Offices, Income, and Expenses Since 1789 (from the Annual Report of the Postmaster General)
- USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — Quick Stats, Farm Operations: Number of Operations, national, survey
- National Center for Education Statistics — Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 214.10
Data table
The number of US post offices, farms and regular public school districts in every year from 1900, each with its share of its own high: post offices from the Annual Report of the Postmaster General as tabulated by the USPS Historian, farms from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, and school districts from the National Center for Education Statistics, at the year each school year ends. A blank means the count had not begun; a school-district year with no published count is filled in a straight line, or held at the latest count, and marked. These are the rows the chart draws.
Show all 126 rows
| Year | Post offices | Post offices, share of high | Farms | Farms, share of high | School districts | School districts, share of high | Filled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 76,688 | 99.7% | |||||
| 1901 | 76,945 | 100.0% | |||||
| 1902 | 75,924 | 98.7% | |||||
| 1903 | 74,169 | 96.4% | |||||
| 1904 | 71,131 | 92.4% | |||||
| 1905 | 68,131 | 88.5% | |||||
| 1906 | 65,600 | 85.3% | |||||
| 1907 | 62,658 | 81.4% | |||||
| 1908 | 60,704 | 78.9% | |||||
| 1909 | 60,144 | 78.2% | |||||
| 1910 | 59,580 | 77.4% | 6,406,200 | 94.0% | |||
| 1911 | 59,237 | 77.0% | 6,424,600 | 94.3% | |||
| 1912 | 58,729 | 76.3% | 6,429,900 | 94.4% | |||
| 1913 | 58,020 | 75.4% | 6,437,200 | 94.5% | |||
| 1914 | 56,810 | 73.8% | 6,446,800 | 94.6% | |||
| 1915 | 56,380 | 73.3% | 6,457,700 | 94.8% | |||
| 1916 | 55,935 | 72.7% | 6,463,300 | 94.9% | |||
| 1917 | 55,414 | 72.0% | 6,477,600 | 95.1% | |||
| 1918 | 54,347 | 70.6% | 6,487,500 | 95.2% | |||
| 1919 | 53,084 | 69.0% | 6,506,000 | 95.5% | |||
| 1920 | 52,641 | 68.4% | 6,517,500 | 95.7% | |||
| 1921 | 52,168 | 67.8% | 6,510,700 | 95.6% | |||
| 1922 | 51,950 | 67.5% | 6,499,600 | 95.4% | |||
| 1923 | 51,613 | 67.1% | 6,491,800 | 95.3% | |||
| 1924 | 51,266 | 66.6% | 6,480,100 | 95.1% | |||
| 1925 | 50,957 | 66.2% | 6,470,600 | 95.0% | |||
| 1926 | 50,601 | 65.8% | 6,461,600 | 94.8% | |||
| 1927 | 50,266 | 65.3% | 6,458,100 | 94.8% | |||
| 1928 | 49,944 | 64.9% | 6,469,700 | 95.0% | |||
| 1929 | 49,482 | 64.3% | 6,511,600 | 95.6% | |||
| 1930 | 49,063 | 63.8% | 6,545,600 | 96.1% | |||
| 1931 | 48,733 | 63.3% | 6,608,500 | 97.0% | |||
| 1932 | 48,159 | 62.6% | 6,686,750 | 98.1% | |||
| 1933 | 47,641 | 61.9% | 6,740,750 | 98.9% | |||
| 1934 | 46,506 | 60.4% | 6,775,900 | 99.4% | |||
| 1935 | 45,686 | 59.4% | 6,813,700 | 100.0% | |||
| 1936 | 45,230 | 58.8% | 6,739,150 | 98.9% | |||
| 1937 | 44,877 | 58.3% | 6,635,850 | 97.4% | |||
| 1938 | 44,586 | 57.9% | 6,526,700 | 95.8% | |||
| 1939 | 44,327 | 57.6% | 6,440,900 | 94.5% | |||
| 1940 | 44,024 | 57.2% | 6,349,800 | 93.2% | 117,108 | 100.0% | |
| 1941 | 43,739 | 56.8% | 6,293,250 | 92.4% | 113,769 | 97.1% | SD |
| 1942 | 43,358 | 56.3% | 6,201,800 | 91.0% | 110,430 | 94.3% | SD |
| 1943 | 42,654 | 55.4% | 6,089,000 | 89.4% | 107,091 | 91.4% | SD |
| 1944 | 42,161 | 54.8% | 6,003,400 | 88.1% | 103,752 | 88.6% | SD |
| 1945 | 41,792 | 54.3% | 5,966,750 | 87.6% | 100,413 | 85.7% | SD |
| 1946 | 41,751 | 54.3% | 5,925,650 | 87.0% | 97,074 | 82.9% | SD |
| 1947 | 41,760 | 54.3% | 5,870,950 | 86.2% | 93,735 | 80.0% | SD |
| 1948 | 41,695 | 54.2% | 5,803,000 | 85.2% | 90,396 | 77.2% | SD |
| 1949 | 41,607 | 54.1% | 5,722,250 | 84.0% | 87,057 | 74.3% | SD |
| 1950 | 41,464 | 53.9% | 5,647,800 | 82.9% | 83,718 | 71.5% | |
| 1951 | 41,193 | 53.5% | 5,427,600 | 79.7% | 79,398 | 67.8% | SD |
| 1952 | 40,919 | 53.2% | 5,197,500 | 76.3% | 75,078 | 64.1% | SD |
| 1953 | 40,609 | 52.8% | 4,983,600 | 73.1% | 70,759 | 60.4% | SD |
| 1954 | 39,405 | 51.2% | 4,798,200 | 70.4% | 66,439 | 56.7% | SD |
| 1955 | 38,316 | 49.8% | 4,653,800 | 68.3% | 62,119 | 53.0% | SD |
| 1956 | 37,515 | 48.8% | 4,514,100 | 66.3% | 57,799 | 49.4% | SD |
| 1957 | 37,012 | 48.1% | 4,371,700 | 64.2% | 53,479 | 45.7% | SD |
| 1958 | 36,308 | 47.2% | 4,232,900 | 62.1% | 49,160 | 42.0% | SD |
| 1959 | 35,750 | 46.5% | 4,104,520 | 60.2% | 44,840 | 38.3% | SD |
| 1960 | 35,238 | 45.8% | 3,962,520 | 58.2% | 40,520 | 34.6% | |
| 1961 | 34,955 | 45.4% | 3,825,410 | 56.1% | 38,098 | 32.5% | SD |
| 1962 | 34,797 | 45.2% | 3,692,410 | 54.2% | 35,676 | 30.5% | |
| 1963 | 34,498 | 44.8% | 3,572,200 | 52.4% | 33,691 | 28.8% | SD |
| 1964 | 34,040 | 44.2% | 3,456,690 | 50.7% | 31,705 | 27.1% | |
| 1965 | 33,624 | 43.7% | 3,356,170 | 49.3% | 29,344 | 25.1% | SD |
| 1966 | 33,121 | 43.0% | 3,257,040 | 47.8% | 26,983 | 23.0% | |
| 1967 | 32,626 | 42.4% | 3,161,730 | 46.4% | 24,497 | 20.9% | SD |
| 1968 | 32,260 | 41.9% | 3,070,860 | 45.1% | 22,010 | 18.8% | |
| 1969 | 32,064 | 41.7% | 3,000,180 | 44.0% | 20,672 | 17.7% | SD |
| 1970 | 32,002 | 41.6% | 2,949,140 | 43.3% | 19,333 | 16.5% | SD |
| 1971 | 31,947 | 41.5% | 2,902,310 | 42.6% | 17,995 | 15.4% | |
| 1972 | 31,686 | 41.2% | 2,859,880 | 42.0% | 17,573 | 15.0% | SD |
| 1973 | 31,385 | 40.8% | 2,823,260 | 41.4% | 17,152 | 14.6% | SD |
| 1974 | 31,000 | 40.3% | 2,795,460 | 41.0% | 16,730 | 14.3% | |
| 1975 | 30,754 | 40.0% | 2,521,420 | 37.0% | 16,553 | 14.1% | SD |
| 1976 | 30,521 | 39.7% | 2,497,270 | 36.7% | 16,376 | 14.0% | |
| 1977 | 30,521 | 39.7% | 2,455,830 | 36.0% | 16,271 | 13.9% | |
| 1978 | 30,518 | 39.7% | 2,436,250 | 35.8% | 16,143 | 13.8% | SD |
| 1979 | 30,449 | 39.6% | 2,437,300 | 35.8% | 16,014 | 13.7% | |
| 1980 | 30,326 | 39.4% | 2,439,510 | 35.8% | 15,963 | 13.6% | SD |
| 1981 | 30,242 | 39.3% | 2,439,920 | 35.8% | 15,912 | 13.6% | |
| 1982 | 30,155 | 39.2% | 2,406,550 | 35.3% | 15,868 | 13.5% | SD |
| 1983 | 29,990 | 39.0% | 2,378,620 | 34.9% | 15,824 | 13.5% | |
| 1984 | 29,750 | 38.7% | 2,333,810 | 34.3% | 15,796 | 13.5% | SD |
| 1985 | 29,557 | 38.4% | 2,292,530 | 33.6% | 15,769 | 13.5% | SD |
| 1986 | 29,344 | 38.1% | 2,249,820 | 33.0% | 15,741 | 13.4% | SD |
| 1987 | 29,319 | 38.1% | 2,212,960 | 32.5% | 15,713 | 13.4% | |
| 1988 | 29,203 | 38.0% | 2,200,940 | 32.3% | 15,545 | 13.3% | SD |
| 1989 | 29,083 | 37.8% | 2,174,520 | 31.9% | 15,376 | 13.1% | |
| 1990 | 28,959 | 37.6% | 2,145,820 | 31.5% | 15,367 | 13.1% | SD |
| 1991 | 28,912 | 37.6% | 2,116,760 | 31.1% | 15,358 | 13.1% | |
| 1992 | 28,837 | 37.5% | 2,107,840 | 30.9% | 15,192 | 13.0% | SD |
| 1993 | 28,728 | 37.3% | 2,201,590 | 32.3% | 15,025 | 12.8% | |
| 1994 | 28,657 | 37.2% | 2,197,690 | 32.3% | 14,899 | 12.7% | SD |
| 1995 | 28,392 | 36.9% | 2,196,400 | 32.2% | 14,772 | 12.6% | |
| 1996 | 28,189 | 36.6% | 2,190,500 | 32.1% | 14,807 | 12.6% | SD |
| 1997 | 28,060 | 36.5% | 2,190,510 | 32.1% | 14,841 | 12.7% | |
| 1998 | 27,952 | 36.3% | 2,192,330 | 32.2% | 14,866 | 12.7% | SD |
| 1999 | 27,893 | 36.3% | 2,187,280 | 32.1% | 14,891 | 12.7% | |
| 2000 | 27,876 | 36.2% | 2,166,780 | 31.8% | 14,875 | 12.7% | SD |
| 2001 | 27,876 | 36.2% | 2,148,630 | 31.5% | 14,859 | 12.7% | |
| 2002 | 27,791 | 36.1% | 2,135,360 | 31.3% | 14,559 | 12.4% | |
| 2003 | 27,556 | 35.8% | 2,126,860 | 31.2% | 14,465 | 12.4% | |
| 2004 | 27,505 | 35.7% | 2,112,970 | 31.0% | 14,383 | 12.3% | |
| 2005 | 27,385 | 35.6% | 2,098,690 | 30.8% | 14,205 | 12.1% | |
| 2006 | 27,318 | 35.5% | 2,088,790 | 30.7% | 14,166 | 12.1% | |
| 2007 | 27,276 | 35.4% | 2,204,950 | 32.4% | 13,856 | 11.8% | |
| 2008 | 27,232 | 35.4% | 2,184,500 | 32.1% | 13,838 | 11.8% | |
| 2009 | 27,161 | 35.3% | 2,169,660 | 31.8% | 13,809 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 27,077 | 35.2% | 2,149,520 | 31.5% | 13,625 | 11.6% | |
| 2011 | 26,927 | 35.0% | 2,131,240 | 31.3% | 13,588 | 11.6% | |
| 2012 | 26,755 | 34.8% | 2,109,810 | 31.0% | 13,567 | 11.6% | |
| 2013 | 26,670 | 34.7% | 2,100,350 | 30.8% | 13,515 | 11.5% | |
| 2014 | 26,669 | 34.7% | 2,082,440 | 30.6% | 13,491 | 11.5% | |
| 2015 | 26,615 | 34.6% | 2,063,890 | 30.3% | 13,601 | 11.6% | |
| 2016 | 26,611 | 34.6% | 2,055,340 | 30.2% | 13,584 | 11.6% | |
| 2017 | 26,410 | 34.3% | 2,042,000 | 30.0% | 13,598 | 11.6% | |
| 2018 | 26,365 | 34.3% | 2,023,200 | 29.7% | 13,551 | 11.6% | |
| 2019 | 26,362 | 34.3% | 2,007,600 | 29.5% | 13,452 | 11.5% | |
| 2020 | 26,362 | 34.3% | 1,992,200 | 29.2% | 13,349 | 11.4% | |
| 2021 | 26,362 | 34.3% | 1,959,550 | 28.8% | 13,335 | 11.4% | |
| 2022 | 26,269 | 34.1% | 1,900,650 | 27.9% | 13,318 | 11.4% | |
| 2023 | 26,257 | 34.1% | 1,894,950 | 27.8% | 13,318 | 11.4% | |
| 2024 | 26,207 | 34.1% | 1,880,000 | 27.6% | 13,318 | 11.4% | SD |
| 2025 | 26,147 | 34.0% | 1,865,000 | 27.4% | 13,318 | 11.4% | SD |
Updated 2025
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