USPS Stamp Prices Since 2015: The Forever Stamp Keeps Marching Up (and July 2026 Looks Higher Again)

If it feels like you are buying booklets of stamps more often for the same stack of bills and birthday cards, the numbers back that up. The United States Postal Service has raised First-Class letter rates repeatedly in the last few years—and it is not done yet.

In April 2026, USPS filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) proposing another increase, effective July 12, 2026 if approved. The headline change for most households: the Forever stamp for a one-ounce letter would rise from 78¢ to 82¢—about a 5.1% jump on that product alone. Metered one-ounce mail would move from 74¢ to 78¢ under the same filing.

This article focuses on the Forever stamp (the nondenominated stamp that remains valid after rate changes) and what has happened since 2015.

Where stamp prices stood in 2015

Through calendar year 2015, the Forever stamp for a standard one-ounce letter cost 49¢. That rate had been in place since early 2014. There was a brief dip to 47¢ in April 2016 before the price returned to 49¢ in January 2017, then stepped up from there. For a clean “since 2015” anchor, 49¢ is the right starting point: it is what you paid for a full year in 2015.

Recent Forever stamp timeline (official USPS history)

The table below summarizes first-ounce letter rates shown in the Postal Service’s own historical list (Forever stamp levels where applicable). Dates are the effective dates USPS has published.

Sources: USPS domestic letter rates since 1863; April 2026 price filing (July 12 effective date proposed).

Two patterns jump out. First, increases have come more often than in the late 20th century—many years now see both January and July adjustments. Second, the dollar change per hike has grown as the base price has grown (moving four cents at a time is easier to notice than one-cent steps from decades past).

Annualized inflation since 2015

Compound annual growth answers: “If the stamp price grew smoothly at a constant rate, what yearly rate would get me from then to now?”

Using 49¢ at the start of 2015 as the starting price:

• Through the current 78¢ rate (in place since July 13, 2025), the compound annual growth rate is about 4.5% over roughly 10.5 years from January 2015 to that effective date.
• If the proposed 82¢ rate takes effect July 12, 2026, the compound annual growth rate from January 2015 to that date is about 4.6% over roughly 11.5 years.

For context, overall U.S. consumer price inflation has averaged materially less than that over long stretches (though it spiked in 2021–2022). Stamps are not guaranteed to track CPI; they reflect USPS costs, volume decline, and the rules the PRC applies when it reviews filings. In plain terms: postage has been compounding faster than “average” inflation for many households’ experience of the last decade.

Why USPS keeps moving rates

USPS is supposed to cover its operations without tax funding for normal expenses. Mail volume has fallen for years while the network still has to reach every address. The Postal Service has cited operating costs and financial pressure in recent filings and described the July 2026 package as part of using available pricing authority while it pursues modernization. Whether you think the increases are justified or frustrating, they are structured, announced, and reviewed—not secret convenience-store markups.

What you can do before the next hike

• Buy Forever stamps at today’s price before an effective date if you mail often; Forever stamps remain valid after the rate rises.
• Compare metered rates vs. retail stamps if you send enough volume to use a postage meter or online postage; metered prices are often slightly lower but require equipment or subscriptions.
• Use electronic options for bills and forms where that is acceptable, so stamp usage is a choice rather than a surprise line item.

If you like putting price stories in one place, see our price changes since 2019 by category and the inflation scoreboard since 2020.

Sources: USPS domestic letter rates since 1863; USPS national release — proposed July 2026 prices (April 9, 2026); Postal Regulatory Commission review process as described in USPS filings (Docket No. R2026-1 referenced in the release).