TEMPE, Ariz. — Rapid population growth in Tempe is forcing the U.S. Postal Service to create another zip code district within the city.
As of July 1, the new zip code 85288 would take effect and residents living in the district should begin using the new code on their postage. Mail with either the old or new zip code will still be delivered for up to a year.
All postal customers affected by the zip code change will be notified by mail of their new zip code.
The Postal Service said rapid gains in population required Tempe to gain a new zip code in order to allow mail to be delivered more efficiently.
According to Census numbers, Tempe was home to more than 184,000 residents as of 2021. The city reported having about 161,000 residents in 2010.
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How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
