Statistics
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.
- 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
- 2009 national employment estimate for occupation of funeral director: 25,820; embalmers: 8,190.2
- Number of U.S. funeral homes according to the National Directory of Morticians Redbook:
- 2012: 19,680 2002: 21,080 2002: 21, 757
- 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:
- Latest U.S. Census Bureau Economic Census (2007). Economic Census conducted every 5 years.
- Latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data
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 | $1,817 |
| Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home | $250 |
| Embalming | $628 |
| Other preparation of the body | $200 |
| Use of facilities/staff for viewing | $395 |
| Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony | $450 |
| Use of a hearse | $275 |
| Use of a service car/van | $125 |
| Basic memorial printed package | $125 |
| Subtotal without Casket: | $4,265 |
| Metal Casket | $2,295 |
| AVERAGE COST OF A FUNERAL | $6,560 |
| Vault | $1,195 |
| Total Cost of a Funeral with Vault |
$7,755 |
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 |
| 2009 | $6,560 |
Source: 2009 NFDA General Price List Survey. (Note: This survey is not conducted annually; 2009 is the most recent year for which NFDA has data.)
- 2010 U.S. Cremation Rate: 40.62%
- 2009: 38.15%
- 2008: 36.22%
- 2007: 34.60%
- 2006: 33.87%
- 2005:32.13%
- 2000: 26.17%
- 1995: 21.11%
- 1990: 17.13
- 1985: 13.86
- 1980: 9.72%
- 1975: 6.55%
- 1970: 4.59%
- 1965: 3.87%
- 1960: 3.56%
- 2010 Canadian Cremation Rate: 58.17%
- 2010 Top 10 U.S. States by Percentage of Deaths Cremated
- Nevada – 73.46%
- Washington – 70.96%
- Oregon – 69.40%
- Hawaii – 68.96%
- Montana - 65.66%
- Maine: 63.40%
- Colorado - 63.27%
- Arizona - 62.10%
- New Hampshire - 61.54%
- Alaska - 61.13%
- 2010 Bottom 10 U.S. States by Percentage of Deaths Cremated
- Mississippi – 13.84%
- Alabama - 17.18%
- Kentucky - 19.24%
- Louisiana - 21.18%
- West Virginia - 23.17
- Indiana - 25.68%
- Tennessee - 27.50%
- Arkansas - 27.72%
- Utah - 28.41%
- South Dakota - 28.71%
- Projected 2015 U.S. Rate: 46.57%
Source: Cremation Association of North America
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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 | |
| 2045-2050 | 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.