If I'm not mistaken, US Postal service regulations require that the posts be able to break away. I think I remember reading that nothing stronger than a typical 4x4 is allowed. It's been a couple years since I reviewed this, so I can't guarantee I'm remembering it correctly.
Around here there are a variety of custom mailboxes and mailbox posts.
There was a Steve Lehto clip about the legality of "fortified maiboxes" in Ohio.
In my case, my grandparents had a brick mailbox post. At some point a person ran into the post and busted it up, totaling their car, and sending themselves to the hospital. Since then I've chosen 4x4 posts for mailboxes. A pain if busted, but not insurmountable.
We don't get a lot of snowplows here. But, one year with a lot of snow, my post was induced to lean. I ignored it for a couple of years until one day I found my mailbox flat on its back. No damage. I think it may have just fallen over when the mail lady had filled it. That may have been a mail order shipment of heavy stuff.
Anyway, the post had been rotted into nothing holding it up. So, I dug it out and put in a new 4x4. It was time.
Mom had her mailbox pulled off the post and stolen a couple of years ago, then dumped and recovered by a neighbor.
So, for her, I took some 4" "well casing" (1/4" wall), and welded it to a steel plate that we mounted the mailbox onto. Not indestructible, but it will take more work.