17 Mind-Boggling Funeral Cost Statistics in 2023 & Beyond


The cost of final expenses is rising and shows no sign of stopping. Luckily, you can plan ahead of time to ease the burden.

When planning for final expenses, many people have a general idea of how much they are expecting to pay. But how much is it really?

It truly depends on what you’re planning on doing, wether that’s a cremation or traditional funeral and burial. It even depends on the area of the country you live in and want to be buried in.

If you want funeral, cremation and burial statistics you’ve come to the right place.

This is an up-to-date life of funeral cost statistics in 2023.

Funeral Cost Statistics In 2023

1. The median cost of a funeral in 2022 is $7,360. (World Population Review)

2. The median cost of a funeral has risen 6.6% over the past 5 years. (NFDA)

3. California has 778 funeral homes, 272 cemeteries, and 1,200 morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors, the most of any state. (Funeral Wise)

4. The average casket costs around $2,000 with premium caskets reaching upwards of $10,000. (Bankrate)

5. Hawaii has the highest average funeral cost at $14,975. (World Population Review)

6. There are over 25,000 people employed in the funeral services industry nationwide. (Funeral Wise)

7. The median cost of a funeral with cremation has risen 11.3% over the past five years. (NFDA)

8. Mississippi has the lowest average funeral cost at $6,684. (World Population Review)

9. 63% of seniors prefer to be cremated as opposed to buried. (Seniors Mutual)

10. California has the second-highest average funeral cost at $11,777. (World Population Review)

11. The price of a vault has risen from $1,395 to $1,572, a 12.7% increase over 5 years. (NFDA)

12. There are annual sales of $17-$20 billion in the funeral industry. (Funeral Wise)

13. 42% of people plan on paying for end-of-life expenses through life insurance. (Seniors Mutual)

14. The average funeral cost in Texas is $7,103. (World Population Review)

15. Only 52% of seniors said they had a will. (Seniors Mutual)

16. The average funeral cost in Florida is $7,600. (World Population Review)

17. The national median cost of a cremation is $6,970. (NFDA)

Funeral Cost Breakdown

Here is a breakdown of average costs by the National Funeral Director’s Association. Costs will vary depending on your area.

ItemCost
Basic services fee$2,300
Transfer of remains to funeral home$350
Embalming$775
Other preparation of the body$275
Use of facilities for viewing$450
Use of facilities for funeral ceremony$515
Hearse$350
Service car/van$150
Basic memorial printed package$183
Metal casket$2,500
Median Cost of a Funeral With Viewing and Burial$7,848
Vault$1,572
Total with vault$9,420

These figures do not include a plot and headstone. This is because a lot of families have family plots or have already paid for a plot in some way. If you do not have a plot and headstone, expect to add another $1000-$4000 depending on the cemetery.

Cremation Cost Breakdown

With rising costs for funerals and burials, an increasing amount of people are choosing cremations as a way to save money.

However, cremations have been increasing in cost in recent years.

The National Funeral Directors Association estimated the national median cremation cost with a viewing service to be $6,970.

Here is a breakdown of costs.

ItemCost
Basic services fee$2,300
Transfer of remains to funeral home$350
Embalming$775
Other preparation of the body$275
Use of facilities for viewing$450
Use of facilities for funeral ceremony$515
Service car/van$150
Basic memorial printed package$183
Cremation fee$368
Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Cremation$5,365
Cremation Casket$1,310
Urn$295
Total Median Cost of a Funeral with Cremation Casket$6,970

Also, keep in mind, all of these costs are national median prices. Prices may be higher if you live in a higher cost of living area and lower in a lower cost of living area.

Funeral Costs By State

Funeral costs vary depending on the state you live in. Here is a breakdown showing the average funeral and burial costs by state alphabetically.

StatePrice
Alabama$6,933
Alaska$10,084
Arizona$7,530
Arkansas$6,746
California$11,777
Colorado$8,198
Connecticut$9,914
Delaware$8,392
Florida$7,600
Georgia$6,925
Hawaii$14,975
Idaho$7,165
Illinois$7,336
Indiana$6,987
Iowa$6,995
Kansas$6,909
Kentucky$7,057
Louisiana$7,290
Maine$9,122
Maryland$10,069
Massachusetts$10,216
Michigan$6,902
Minnesota$7,887
Mississippi$6,684
Missouri$6,762
Montana$8,299
Nebraska$7,049
New Hampshire$8,516
New Jersey$9,712
New Mexico$6,793
Nevada$8,423
New York$10,799
North Carolina$7,367
North Dakota$7,670
Ohio$7,049
Oklahoma$6,754
Oregon$10,418
Pennsylvania$7,895
Rhode Island$9,269
South Carolina$7,445
South Dakota$7,748
Tennessee$6,886
Texas$7,103
Utah$7,639
Vermont$8,889
Virginia$7,818
Washington$8,594
West Virginia$7,072
Wisconsin$7,554
Wyoming$6,933



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