May 2012 Update: The United States Postal Service announced a plan to “preserve the nation’s smallest post offices” by reducing retail hours instead of closing. A new page includes a full listing of the 572 post offices impacted by this plan, including city, county, population – and current and proposed weekday retail hours. Post offices which have already been closed will not reopen.

Original Information
Few buildings are more important to rural Iowa communities than the post office. Beyond selling stamps and shipping packages, post offices have become sort of a gathering place for residents to exchange news and gossip. Financial concerns have led the United States Postal Service to evaluate the closure of thousands of post offices nationwide; towns in Iowa have been hit especially hard. By the numbers:

• 34 post offices have been suspended or closed since January 1, 2011. (List)
• 234 additional post offices remain under consideration for closure. (List)

Suspended or Closed:

City	County	Pop.	Established	Suspended	Source
Arlington	Fayette	429	1856-01-23	2011-04-27	[11]
Austinville (CPO)	Butler		1892-10-03	2011-06-02	[10]
Buckingham	Tama		1853-08-12	2011-11-18	[13] [29]
Clutier	Tama	213	1900-05-29	2011-07-11
Des Moines (E 14th)	Polk	203433	N/A	2011-04-29	[23]
Des Moines (East Village)	Polk	203433	N/A	2011-01-15	[23]
Des Moines (Park Fair)	Polk	203433	N/A	2011-10-21	[23]
Earlville	Delaware	812	1858-02-12	2011-04-28	[10]
East Peru	Madison	125	1888-11-07	Unknown	[13]
Evansdale (Branch)	Black Hawk	4751	N/A	2011-10-21	[10] [30]
Galt	Wright	32	1882-01-30	Unknkown	[13]
Garwin	Tama	527	1879-12-19	2011-07-11
Geneva	Franklin	165	1858-02-16	2011-04-06	[3]
Goodell	Hancock	139	1858-01-28	2011-09-10	[3]
Guernsey (CPO)	Poweshiek	63	1884-03-12	2011-06-17	[22]
Homestead (Info)	Iowa		1852-08-16	2011-11-28	[24] [31]
Iowa City (Branch)	Johnson	67862	N/A	Unknown	[10]
Kelley (Info)	Story	309	1875-06-08	2011-02-24	[3]
Luther (Info)	Boone	122	1883-12-27	2011-02-10	[3]
Mallard	Palo Alto	274	1883-04-23	2011-05-03	[16]
Modale	Harrison	283	1858-07-15	2011-06-04	[13]
Morley	Jones	115	1873-04-21	2011-04-22	[3]
Morrison (CPO)	Grundy	94		2011-06-24	[27]
Nodaway	Adams	114	1867-07-15	2011-09-16	[14]
Oran	Fayette		1858-08-06	2010-12-31	[3]
Patterson	Madison	130	1872-05-06	2011-10-07	[3] [30]
Percival	Fremont		1849-01-18	2011-06-04	[24]
Searsboro	Poweshiek	148	1871-04-07	2011-09-24	[3]
Sioux City (Morningside)	Woodbury	82684	N/A	2011-09-16	[1] [28] [30]
Sioux City (North)	Woodbury	82684	N/A	2011-09-16	[1] [28] [30]
Udell	Appanoose	47	1849-09-15	2011-09-23	[3]
Varina	Pocahontas	71	1899-12-20	2011-04-12	[13]
Webster (Info)	Keokuk	88	1855-06-20	2011-04-22	[3]
West Chester	Washington	146	1873-01-27	2011-10-07	[13] [30]

The post office has stated no additional post offices will be closed prior to May 15, 2012.

Under Consideration for Closure:

City	County	Pop.	Established	Suspended	Source
Alexander	Franklin	175	1882-11-13		[24]
Alleman	Polk	432	1908-06-03		[24]
Altoona	Polk	14541			[28]
Alvord	Lyon	196	1890-08-25		[10]
Ames (ISU Station)	Story	58965	N/A		[24]
Ames (Welch Ave.)	Story	58965	N/A		[24]
Andover	Clinton	103	1886-01-28		[24]
Archer	O'Brien	131	1888-06-15		[24]
Aredale	Butler	74	1890-05-31		[13]
Argyle	Lee		1888-03-15		[24]
Arispe	Union	100	1887-12-28		[24]
Ashton	Osceola	458	1873-01-03		[9]
Ayrshire	Palo Alto	143	1882-12-14		[24]
Barnes City	Mahaska	176	1854-06-19		[13]
Barnum	Webster	191	1874-06-25		[24]
Beaver (Info)	Boone	48	1866-04-24		[24]
Benton	Ringgold	41	1875-03-29		[24]
Blairsburg	Hamilton	215	1867-08-08		[24]
Blanchard	Page	38	1869-10-25		[24]
Blockton	Taylor	192	1872-06-12		[24]
Booneville	Dallas		1852-08-16		[24]
Bouton	Dallas	129	1886-03-20		[24]
Boxholm	Boone	195	1887-04-02		[24]
Braddyville	Page	159	1866-08-01		[17]
Bradford	Franklin		1907-12-12		[24]
Bradgate	Humboldt	86	1882-04-07		[24]
Brandon	Buchanan	309	1854-08-08		[24]
Brayton	Audubon	128	1880-10-27		[24]
Bridgewater	Adair	182	1885-10-02		[24]
Bronson	Woodbury	322	1902-01-18		[2]
Brunsville	Plymouth	151	1910-07-22		[24]
Burnside	Webster		1858-08-06		[24]
Callender	Webster	376	1873-02-24		[24]
Calumet	O'Brien	170	1888-03-24		[24]
Castalia	Winneshiek	173	1854-08-08		[24]
Castana	Monona	147	1865-08-25		[24]
Cedar (Info)	Mahaska		1874-06-19		[24]
Center Junction	Jones	111	1871-11-20		[24]
Chelsea	Tama	267	1862-07-22		[24]
Chester	Howard	127	1858-02-17		[24]
Chillicothe	Wapello	97	1849-07-20		[10]
Cincinnati	Appanoose	357	1851-11-07		[24]
Clare	Webster	146	1882-04-10		[24]
Cleghorn	Cherokee	240	1890-02-26		[24]
Clemons	Marshall	148	1882-10-27		[24]
Climbing Hill	Woodbury	97	1877-07-24		[10]
Coin	Page	193	1872-04-17		[24]
College Springs	Page	214	1859-01-10		[24]
Conesville	Muscatine	432	1861-08-02		[24]
Conroy	Iowa		1885-01-05		[24]
Coulter	Franklin	281	1902-04-30		[13]
Crystal Lake (Info)	Hancock	250	1870-02-17		[24]
Cumberland	Cass	262	1885-01-19		[24]
Curlew (Info)	Palo Alto	58	1883-01-10		[24]
Cushing	Woodbury	220	1883-07-02		[24]
Cylinder	Palo Alto	88	1888-04-24		[24]
Dana	Greene	71	1881-08-01		[24]
Davis City	Decatur	204	1868-11-11		[24]
Dawson	Dallas	131	1887-10-25		[24]
Decatur (City)	Decatur	197	1852-10-07		[24]
Dedham	Carroll	266	1882-07-10		[24]
Deloit	Crawford	264	1855-12-12		[24]
Derby	Lucas	115	1866-07-26		[24]
Des Moines (Capitol Square)	Polk	203433	N/A	2011-12-26	[23]
Diagonal	Ringgold	330	1889-06-25		[24]
Dolliver	Emmet	66	1890-02-11		[24]
Dundee	Delaware	174	1887-01-14		[24]
Earling	Shelby	437	1882-10-02		[13]
Elberon	Tama	196	1882-01-09		[24]
Elk Horn	Shelby	662	1882-10-02		[13]
Elliott	Montgomery	350	1870-06-03		[24]
Ellston	Ringgold	43	1861-08-02		[24]
Exline	Appanoose	160	1878-06-14		[24]
Farmersburg	Clayton	302	1849-02-10		[24]
Ferguson	Marshall	126	1850-06-13		[10]
Floris	Davis	138	1849-08-01		[24]
Fostoria	Clay	231	1894-03-06		[9]
Frederika	Bremer	183	1858-06-19		[24]
Fruitland (Info)	Muscatine	977	1880-06-23		[24]
Galt	Wright	32	1882-01-30		[13]
Garden Grove	Decatur	211	1851-01-16		[24]
Grafton	Worth	252	1878-03-26		[24]
Grand River	Decatur	236	1881-11-11		[24]
Grandview	Louisa	556	1838-05-02		[24]
Grant^	Montgomery	92	1871-02-06		[3], [26]
Gravity	Taylor	188	1855-11-06		[24]
Gray	Audubon	63	1882-01-30		[10]
Greeley	Delaware	256	1854-10-30		[25]
Hamilton	Marion	196	1850-08-05		[10]
Hardy	Humboldt	47	1882-03-17		[24]
Harris	Osceola	170	1878-02-20		[8], [15]
Harvey	Marion	235	1882-09-11		[24]
Hastings	Mills	152	1871-01-03		[24]
Havelock	Pocahontas	138	1882-03-15		[24]
Haverhill	Marshall	173	1882-04-11		[24]
Hayesville	Keokuk	50	1869-07-19		[10]
Hillsboro	Henry	180	1844-01-30		[24]
Holland	Grundy	282	1877-08-14		[13]
Jamaica	Guthrie	224	1882-07-26		[24]
Joice	Worth	222	1900-03-06		[24]
Jolley (Info)	Calhoun	41	1883-09-28		[24]
Kamrar	Hamilton	199	1882-03-27		[24]
Kensett	Worth	266	1875-01-12		[13]
Keswick (Info)	Keokuk	246	1879-11-12		[24]
Killduff	Jasper		1883-07-02		[10]
Kimballton	Audubon	322	1882-01-16		[13]
Kirkville	Wapello	167	1849-09-07		[24]
Knierim	Calhoun	60	1899-12-26		[24]
Ladora	Iowa	283	1862-05-07		[25]
Lanesboro	Carroll	121	1902-11-11		[24]
Larrabee	Cherokee	132	1887-12-28		[24]
Ledyard	Kossuth	130	1889-02-15		[24]
Lewis	Cass	433	1849-12-24		[24]
Liberty Center	Warren		1865-03-07		[24]
Libertyville	Jefferson	315	1846-02-03		[17]
Lincoln	Tama	162	1883-12-27		[13]
Linden	Dallas	199	1866-02-27		[24]
Lineville	Wayne	217	1851-03-17		[24]
Linn Grove	Buena Vista	154	1877-03-01		[24]
Liscomb	Marshall	301	1865-01-24		[24]
Lohrville	Calhoun	368	1881-09-27		[12]
Lone Rock	Kossuth	146	1896-03-26		[24]
Lu Verne (Info)	Kossuth	261	1881-01-27		[21]
Lytton	Sac	315	1900-01-10		[13]
Macksburg	Madison	113	1893-05-27		[24]
Marathon	Buena Vista	237	1877-03-01		[24]
Marne	Cass	120	1875-07-26		[13]
Martelle	Jones	255	1872-12-09		[20]
Martinsburg	Keokuk	112	1855-11-22		[24]
Masonville^	Delaware	127	1860-02-18		[13]
McCallsburg	Story	333	1882-02-23		[13]
McCausland	Scott	291	1884-01-17		[24]
Melrose	Monroe	112	1863-12-11		[24]
Meriden	Cherokee	159	1870-08-25		[24]
Meservey	Cerro Gordo	256	1887-05-23		[24]
Middle Amana (Info)	Iowa		1933-01-14		[24]
Middletown	Des Moines	318	1847-12-23		[24]
Millersburg	Iowa	159	1853-09-27		[24]
Mingo	Jasper	302	1883-12-13		[3]
Monmouth	Jackson	153	1855-11-08		[24]
Montour	Tama	249	1864-08-16		[24]
Moscow	Muscatine		1837-05-01		[24]
Mt. Auburn	Benton	150	1865-02-16		[24]
Mt. Union	Henry	107	1877-02-08		[25]
Mystic	Appanoose	425	1887-10-02		[24]
Nemaha	Sac	85	1899-12-20		[24]
New Hartford	Butler	516	1855-06-30		[10]
New Liberty	Scott	137	1857-04-11		[24]
New Market	Taylor	415	1857-08-15		[13]
Oakville	Louisa	173	1884-01-17		[24]
Olds	Henry	229	1884-02-07		[24]
Ollie	Keokuk	215	1882-12-05		[24]
Onslow	Jones	197	1871-11-20		[24]
Orchard	Mitchell	71	1869-12-09		[4]
Otley	Marion		1857-06-17		[24]
Oto	Woodbury	108	1864-09-26		[24]
Ottosen (Info)	Humboldt	55	1895-12-20		[5]
Oyens (Info)	Plymouth	103	1878-08-30		[24]
Palmer	Pocahontas	165	1899-12-26		[24]
Parnell	Iowa	193	1884-11-24		[24]
Pilot Grove^	Lee		1851-02-24		[3]
Pilot Mound	Boone	173	1865-11-14		[24]
Pisgah	Harrison	251	1872-04-23		[24]
Plano	Appanoose	70	1870-06-03		[24]
Pleasant Valley	Scott		1837-02-25		[25]
Plover	Pocahontas	77	1883-04-30		[18]
Prescott	Adams	257	1870-01-14		[25]
Prole (Info)	Warren		1884-09-25		[24]
Promise City (Info)	Wayne	111	1856-08-21		[24]
Pulaski (Info)	Davis	260	1852-08-12		[24]
Quimby	Cherokee	319	1887-11-30		[24]
Ralston	Carroll	79	1892-05-28		[24]
Randall	Hamilton	173	1863-04-15		[24]
Randolph	Fremont	168	1871-04-07		[7]
Reasnor	Jasper	152	1877-11-19		[24]
Redding (Info)	Ringgold	82	1860-02-18		[24]
Rembrandt	Buena Vista	203	1900-01-31		[9]
Rhodes	Marshall	305	1860-09-12		[24]
Ricketts	Crawford	145	1899-12-14		[24]
Rippey	Greene	292	1857-07-30		[13]
Riverton	Fremont	304	1871-04-03		[24]
Rodney	Monona	60	1887-06-01		[3]
Rose Hill	Mahaska	168	1849-09-24		[24]
Rowan (Info)	Wright	158	1884-11-24		[24]
Rutland	Humboldt	126	1868-01-21		[24]
Saint Donatus	Jackson	135	1855-08-30		[24]
Scarville	Winnebago	72	1899-12-26		[10]
Shambaugh	Page	191	1870-04-29		[24]
Shannon City (Info)	Union	71	1887-08-31		[24]
Sharpsburg (Info)	Taylor	89	1883-02-28		[10]
Sheldahl	Polk	319	1874-11-10		[24]
Silver City	Mills	245	1879-07-25		[24]
Smithland	Woodbury	224	1856-05-29		[24]
Somers	Calhoun	113	1900-03-09		[24]
South Amana (Info)	Iowa		1874-06-19		[24]
Springbrook	Jackson	144	1846-07-24		[24]
St. Anthony	Marshall	102	1869-01-12		[25]
St. Lucas	Fayette	143	1882-09-12		[10]
St. Marys	Warren	127	1871-01-06		[10]
St. Olaf	Clayton	108	1874-06-19		[13]
Stockport	Van Buren	296	1888-02-27		[24]
Stockton	Muscatine	197	1870-01-06		[24]
Stout	Grundy	224	1900-07-07		[24]
Stratford	Hamilton	743	1881-03-28		[13]
Superior	Dickinson	130	1883-10-17		[24]
Swaledale	Cerro Gordo	165	1887-04-13		[13]
Swedesburg	Henry		1870-01-20		[24]
Tabor	Fremont	1040	1854-02-27		[13]
Thayer	Union	59	1868-05-28		[3]
Thor	Humboldt	188	1880-06-02		[24]
Thornburg	Keokuk	67	1880-01-19		[24]
Thurman	Fremont	229	1856-11-25		[24]
Tingley	Ringgold	184	1868-03-17		[24]
Troy Mills	Linn		1867-06-10		[24]
Truesdale	Buena Vista	81	1900-01-08		[24]
Unionville^	Appanoose	102	1883-11-07		[3]
Van Wert	Decatur	230	1880-03-12		[24]
Vincent	Webster	174	1875-09-20		[6]
Vining	Tama	50	1882-03-21		[24]
Wallingford	Emmet	197	1882-10-26		[24]
Washta	Cherokee	248	1868-05-26		[24]
Watkins	Benton		1873-12-15		[24]
Webb	Clay	141	1900-01-10		[24]
Weldon	Decatur	125	1881-02-14		[24]
Welton	Clinton	165	1851-06-20		[24]
Westfield	Plymouth	132	1877-07-13		[24]
Whitten	Hardin	149	1880-07-23		[24]
Williamson	Lucas	152	1915-11-09		[24]
Wiota	Cass	116	1872-04-15		[24]
Woden	Hancock	229	1888-08-24		[13]
Woodburn	Clarke	202	1855-06-30		[24]
Woolstock	Wright	168	1868-04-16		[10]
Yorktown	Page	85	1882-07-26		[24]
Zwingle	Dubuque	91	1856-04-25		[24]

Notes:

• Towns without populations listed are unincorporated.

Resources:

• Our Post Office Photo Collection, featuring 100+ Iowa post offices
• Going Postal, a photo journal of post offices nationwide
• Save the Post Office, the premiere resource for nationwide post office closing news

Sources:

1. Montag, Molly. “Post office considers closing two branches in city”. Sioux City Journal. Published 1 February 2011.
2. Butz, Dolly. “Bronson Post Office on chopping block”. Sioux City Journal. Published 1 February 2010.
3. Munson, Kyle. “Small towns mourn fast-closing post offices”. Des Moines Register. Published 26 February 2011.
4. Namanny, David. “Orchard residents fear losing their post office”. Mason City Globe-Gazette. Published 26 March 2011.
5. Mickelson, Sandy. “Ottosen residents ask ‘Why us?'”. Fort Dodge Messenger. Published 12 April 2011.
6. “Ottosen Post Office could close”. KGLA Radio. Published 12 April 2011.
7. Shum, JoAnn. “60 attend Home City Post Office meeting”. The Marysville Advocate. Published 13 April 2011.
8. Martens, Kyle. “Bronson, IA one of several towns facing potential post office closures”. KTIV TV. Published 18 April 2011.
9. Tecklenburg, Zach. “Bronson, IA makes its case to save post office”. KTIV TV. Published 18 April 2011.
10. Munson, Kyle. “Frustration spreads as list of dying post offices grows in Iowa”. Des Moines Register. Posted 20 April 2011.
11. Munson, Kyle. “Post office closure meetings fill Iowa’s calendar”. Des Moines Register (blog). Published 25 April 2011.
12. Blankman, Jeff. “Post Office in Lohrville in jeopardy”. KCIM AM. Published 26 April 2011.
13. Munson, Kyle. “2011 Iowa post office closures list”. Des Moines Register (blog). Published 27 April 2011.
14. “May meeting set for Nodaway Post Office”. KMA AM. Published 27 April 2011.
15. Lucin, Kari. “USPS considers closing Harris post office”. Worthington Daily Globe. Published 28 April 2011.
16. Shea, Bill. “Mallard post office may be shuttered forever”. Fort Dodge Messenger. Published 19 May 2011.
17. Munson, Kyle. “Post office bigwig defends changing face of rural life”. Des Moines Register. Published 29 May 2011.
18. Mutcher, Lindsay. “Changes are coming to area post offices”. Fort Dodge Messenger. Published 5 June 2011.
19. Ehrler, Lauren. “Postal Service to stamp out Andrew office?” Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. Published 15 June 2011.
20. “Andrew post office faces possible closure.” KCRG (AP). Comments. Published 16 June 2011.
21. Thompson, Kent. “Post office closing likely for LuVerne.” Humboldt Independent. Published 16 June 2011.
22. Parker, J.O. “Guernsey Post Office closes.” Poweshiek County Chronicle Republican. Published 22 June 2011.
23. Augustine, Joe. “More possible Post Office closings in Des Moines.” WOI TV. Published 28 June 2011.
24. “Expanded access study list.” USPS. Published 26 July 2011.
25. “Discontinuance review unrelated to the Retail Access Optimization (RAO) initiative.” USPS. Published 27 July 2011.
26. “Grant Post Office receives closure notice.” KMA AM. Published 3 August 2011.
27. “Post Office Bulletin.” USPS. Published 14 July 2011.
28. “Post office in Altoona will close.“ Des Moines Register. Published 30 August 2011.
29. “Buckingham Post Office closes doors.” Traer Star-Clipper. Published 21 November 2011.
30. “Post Office Bulletin.” USPS. Published 17 November 2011.
31. “Homestead post office to close.” USPS. Published 2 December 2011.