ReadyLockers Research · Annual Report · 2026
The state of package delivery & smart lockers
A single, sourced benchmark for anyone planning package infrastructure: how many parcels move through the U.S. each year, who carries them, how fast smart lockers are growing, and how heavy the package load has become for apartment communities. Free to cite with attribution.
Every figure is attributed to its original publisher and year. ReadyLockers adds no unpublished proprietary estimates.
Key figures at a glance
parcels shipped in the U.S. in 2025, up from 22.4 billion in 2024 (+3.4%)
Source: Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Indextotal U.S. parcel carrier revenue in 2024, up 2.7% year over year
Source: Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Indexprojected U.S. parcel volume by 2030 at a ~5% compound annual growth rate
Source: Pitney Bowes (forecast)global smart parcel locker market, 2024 to 2033, growing at ~11.9% CAGR
Source: Grand View Researchpackages the average apartment resident receives per year — concentrated in shared spaces
Source: Multifamily industry datapackages stolen in the U.S. in 2025 — the cost of unattended delivery
Source: SafeWise (see our theft research)U.S. parcel volume (billions of shipments)
Parcel volume has grown every year and is forecast to keep climbing. The 2030 figure is Pitney Bowes' projection at a ~5% compound annual growth rate.
Who carries U.S. parcels (2024, billions)
The four largest carriers account for the majority of U.S. parcel volume. Amazon Logistics continues to close the gap with USPS as it insources more last-mile delivery.
The smart parcel locker market (global, USD billions)
Independent research firms converge on double-digit growth. Grand View Research projects the global smart parcel locker market roughly triples between 2024 and 2033 (11.9% CAGR); Fortune Business Insights reports a similar 11.1% CAGR.
The multifamily package burden
Nowhere is delivery growth felt more than in apartment communities, where parcels concentrate in shared lobbies and mailrooms and land on leasing staff.
| Finding | Data | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|
| Per-resident volume | The average apartment resident now receives 60+ packages per year, up sharply over the past decade. | Multifamily industry data (2026) |
| Per-community volume | A typical apartment community handles ~150 packages per week; during the holidays that rises ~81% to ~270 per week. | Multi-Housing News / NMHC (2018) |
| Building-scale total | A 200-unit building can see roughly 12,000 parcels pass through it in a single year. | Multifamily industry data (2026) |
| Peak surge | During peak periods, 20% of communities report receiving 400 or more packages per week — the reason to size for surge, not average. | NMHC Package Delivery Survey (2018) |
| Staff burden | 68% of multifamily staff spend one to four hours every week receiving, logging and handing out packages. | Multi-Housing News (2018) |
| Sizing guidance | Industry guidance recommends roughly one locker compartment per 1.5–2 units to absorb surge volume. | Multifamily industry data (2026) |
What the data means
Three trends compound. Parcel volume keeps rising toward 30 billion U.S. shipments a year, more of that volume lands at multi-tenant buildings, and unattended delivery still leaks over 100 million stolen packages annually. The result is a structural gap between how many parcels arrive and how many places can safely receive them.
Smart parcel lockers are the market's answer, and the double-digit growth rate reflects it: automated pickup removes the unattended-doorstep window, hands staff back hours every week, and gives residents 24/7 access with a full audit trail. The planning lesson from the multifamily data is consistent — size for the surge, not the average, because peak weeks are where package operations break down.
Methodology & sources
This report aggregates published third-party research on U.S. parcel volume, carrier share, the smart parcel locker market, and multifamily package operations. Figures are reported as published by the original source; where independent firms differ (for example, locker-market sizing), we show the range and name each source. ReadyLockers adds no unpublished proprietary estimates to this page. If you republish a figure, please cite the original source named next to it — and we appreciate a link back to this report.
- Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index
The category's benchmark for U.S. and global parcel volume, revenue and carrier share. 2024 volume 22.4B (+3.4%); 2025 volume 23.1B; 2024 revenue $203.2B; ~30.5B projected by 2030 (~5% CAGR).
Accessed 2026 - Grand View Research — Smart Parcel Locker Market Report
Global smart parcel locker market USD 1.08B (2024), projected USD 2.90B by 2033 at 11.9% CAGR.
Accessed 2026 - Fortune Business Insights — Smart Parcel Locker Market
Independent estimate: USD 1.14B (2025) growing to USD 2.97B by 2034 at 11.1% CAGR — corroborates the double-digit growth trend.
Accessed 2026 - NMHC Package Delivery Survey
National Multifamily Housing Council data on community package volume, holiday surge and staff burden.
Accessed 2026 - Multi-Housing News — Package Management
Per-community weekly volume, holiday +81% surge, and the 68% staff-time burden figure.
Accessed 2026 - SafeWise — Annual Package Theft Report
104.3M packages stolen in the U.S. in 2025 — the risk that unattended delivery creates.
Accessed 2026
Frequently asked questions
How many parcels are shipped in the United States each year?
U.S. parcel volume reached 22.4 billion shipments in 2024 (up 3.4% year over year) and 23.1 billion in 2025, according to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index. Carrier revenue was $203.2 billion in 2024. Pitney Bowes projects volume will grow to roughly 30.5 billion by 2030 at about a 5% compound annual growth rate.
Who carries the most U.S. parcels?
In 2024, USPS delivered about 6.9 billion parcels, Amazon Logistics 6.3 billion, UPS 4.7 billion and FedEx 3.7 billion (Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index). Amazon Logistics continues to close the gap with USPS as it insources more of its own last-mile delivery.
How fast is the smart parcel locker market growing?
Grand View Research valued the global smart parcel locker market at USD 1.08 billion in 2024 and projects USD 2.90 billion by 2033, an 11.9% CAGR. Fortune Business Insights independently estimates USD 1.14 billion in 2025 growing to USD 2.97 billion by 2034 (11.1% CAGR). Both point to sustained double-digit growth driven by e-commerce and last-mile delivery demand.
How many packages does a typical apartment community receive?
A typical community handles about 150 packages per week, rising roughly 81% to about 270 per week during the holidays, per Multi-Housing News and NMHC survey data. The average resident now receives 60+ packages per year, and a 200-unit building can process around 12,000 parcels annually.
How should a property size a smart locker system?
Industry guidance recommends roughly one locker compartment per 1.5 to 2 units, sized for surge rather than average volume, because 20% of communities report 400+ packages per week during peaks (NMHC). Under-sizing forces overflow back onto staff and shared spaces.
Can I cite this report?
Yes. Every figure on this page is attributed to its original publisher with the year noted. You're welcome to reference the data with attribution to the original source and a link back to this page. ReadyLockers does not add unpublished proprietary estimates to this report.
Related ReadyLockers research
The sourced data behind the 104.3M packages stolen in 2025 and what stops it.
Read the dataTurn unit count into the number of lockers a property actually needs for surge volume.
Size itHow communities absorb 12,000+ parcels a year without burning down the front desk.
ExploreJournalist or researcher? You're welcome to cite this report with attribution. For commentary or data questions, contact ReadyLockers.