Amazon’s Rural Delivery Expansion to Bring Faster Prime Delivery to Small Towns in the US

Amazon is investing over $4 billion in an expansion of rural delivery to bring Same-Day and Next-Day delivery to more than 4,000 small towns across the U.S. This move will provide millions of rural customers with better access to fast Prime delivery services, as reported by TechCrunch.

Amazon said the expansion will help improve Prime delivery in remote areas, including towns like Asbury (Iowa), Fort Seneca (Ohio), Lewes (Delaware), North Padre Island (Texas), and Sharptown (Maryland). These are places where people usually have limited shopping and shipping options.

Faster Delivery and Better Service for Rural America

Amazon is planning to triple the size of its delivery network by 2026. This means more delivery stations, more drivers, and faster service in rural America. The company will add over 200 new delivery centers to reach customers with over 13,000 ZIP codes, covering about 1.2 million square miles.

The company said that customers in rural areas will get their packages much faster. For many, this means going from waiting five days to getting their orders in one or two days. Amazon will build more local delivery hubs to make this possible. These new centers are closer to customers and help with the last-mile rural push.

Amazon said, “Once the expansion is complete, our network will be able to deliver over a billion more packages each year to customers living in over 13,000 zip codes.”

With the expansion, Prime delivery to rural America will no longer be limited. Shoppers in smaller towns can now enjoy the same fast delivery as people in big cities. This also helps improve e-commerce access in rural areas, where shipping delays are more common.

Amazon shared that Same-Day and Next-Day deliveries have already increased by over 30% compared to last year. In 2024 alone, the company delivered more than 9 billion items using fast delivery.

More Jobs and Stronger Rural Economies

This plan will also create jobs, with each new delivery station expected to hire about 170 people, including warehouse workers and drivers. Amazon says the expansion will lead to more than 100,000 new jobs in rural communities by 2026.

These new roles will support the company’s delivery services while also helping local people find steady employment. Amazon believes the project will bring growth to smaller towns and boost local economies.

The company still works with the U.S. Postal Service in many places, but with this expansion, it will rely more on its delivery systems. This helps reduce costs and gives Amazon better control over shipping, especially in remote regions.

This news comes just before Prime Day, which takes place from July 8 to July 11. With faster delivery now available in many new areas, rural shoppers can expect to get their orders more quickly this year.

Amazon’s latest move shows its long-term plan to improve Prime delivery in remote areas, reach more people, and make online shopping easier across the country.