Statistics
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All data published on NFDA.org is based on the latest available government, industry, and research reports; data is updated as new information becomes available.
Funeral Service Facts
- Employment: U.S. funeral homes employed 102,877 workers in 2007.1
- Funeral home/funeral home combined with crematories revenue: $11.95 billion in 2007, increased from $11.05 billion in 2002.1
- 2008 national employment estimate for occupation of funeral director: 25,680; embalmers: 8,200.2
- Number of U.S. funeral homes per office of National Directory of Morticians Redbook: 2010: 19,902; 2005: 21,495;2000: 22,107.3
- The top 4 publicly-traded funeral home operators in the U.S. accounted for approximately 10% of market share in 2009.
- In 2008, 71% of deaths were casketed according to the Casket & Funeral Supply Association of America, a 5% decrease since 2003 (76%). In 1998, 79% of deaths were casketed.
Sources
1Latest U.S. Census Bureau Economic Census (2007). Economic Census conducted every 5 years.
2Latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data
32009 IBISWorld Industry Report: "Funeral Homes in the U.S."; Red Book
Cost of regular adult funeral including following basic items. Does not include cemetery, monument/marker costs or miscellaneous cash advance charges such as for flowers or obituaries.
| Item | Price* |
| Non-declinable basic services fee | $1,595 |
| Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home | $233 |
| Embalming | $550 |
| Other preparation of the body | $203 |
| Use of facilities/staff for viewing | $406 |
| Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony | $463 |
| Use of a hearse | $251 |
| Use of a service car/van | $120 |
| Basic memorial printed package | $119 |
| Subtotal without Casket: | $3,940 |
| Metal Casket | $2,255 |
| Subtotal with Casket: | $6,195 |
| Vault | $1,128 |
| Total Cost | $7,323 |
Source
2006 NFDA General Price List Survey. NFDA will release new data in 2010.
Cost of an Adult Funeral: 1960 - Present
| Year | Cost of an Adult Funeral |
| 1960 | $708 |
| 1965 | $790 |
| 1971 | $983 |
| 1975 | $1285 |
| 1980 | $1809 |
| 1985 | $2737 |
| 1991 | $3742 |
| 1995 | $4626 |
| 2000 | $5180 |
| 2006 | $6195 |
Source
2006 NFDA General Price List Survey. NFDA will release new data in 2010.
- 2008 U.S. Cremation Rate: 36.02%
- 1998 U.S. Rate: 24.10%
- 2004 Canadian Cremation Rate: 53.70% (most recent figure)
- 2008 Top 10 U.S. States by Percentage of Deaths Cremated
- Nevada: 69.48%
- Hawaii: 68.01%
- Oregon: 67.92%
- Washington: 67.62%
- Arizona: 64.75%
- Montana: 63.31%
- Maine: 60.03%
- Colorado: 59.77%
- Vermont: 59.06%
- New Hampshire: 58.21%
- 2008 Bottom 5 U.S. States by Percentage of Deaths Cremated
- Mississippi: 11.26%
- Alabama: 13.97%
- Kentucky: 14.06%
- Tennessee: 18.02%
- Texas: 18.41%
- Projected 2015 U.S. Rate (2007 Projection): 46.04%
- Projected 2025 U.S. Rate (2007 Projection): 58.85%
Source
© Cremation Association of North America, August 2009 Report: "2007 Statistics and Projections to the Year 2025: 2008 Preliminary Data." 2003-2007 state data used to estimate 2008, 2015, 2025 figures where necessary.
- U.S. death rates (annual deaths per 1,000 population)
- 2000: 8.5 (final data 2000-2006)
- 2005: 8.3
- 2006: 8.0
- 2007: 8.0 (provisional data 2007-2009)
- 2008: 8.1
- 2009: 7.9
- 2010-2016: 8.3 (projected data 2010-2050)
- 2017-2020: 8.4
- 2025: 8.6
- 2040: 9.6
- 2045-50: 9.7
- According to the latest projections of the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the U.S. death rate, which has been in decline overall the last 20 years, will hover at an average of 8.3 for the next decade.
- Increase in death rate not predicted until approximately 2020, when the progressive aging of the U.S. population will trigger steady growth – rising to 9.7 by 2045-2050.
Source
U.S. National Center for Health Statists-Vital Statistics of the United States; National Vital Statistics Reports; U.S. Census Bureau.