In the last 12 years, cremation has taken the death care industry in the USA by storm! From a nation once entrenched in the tradition of burial, within just over a decade our nation has shifted to prefer cremation, with the cremation rate overtaking the burial rate.
So why are families now opting for cremation instead of burial?
The most popular reason is the consumer demand for more affordable funeral services. Since the economic downturn of 2008, more and more families simply cannot afford the cost of a full-service funeral.
According to the NFDA, a typical burial costs $7,484 (and this is without the cemetery costs). Many families today living paycheck to paycheck cannot afford this cost, especially if no provision or life insurance is in place.
Thus the demand for cheaper alternatives has grown, and cremation can save thousands on the cost of a funeral.
How direct cremation services are in high demand
Direct cremation costs even less than a memorial cremation service, and in most metro areas in the U.S., a direct cremation can be arranged for between $600 and $1000 complete. It can be difficult to ascertain what percent of all cremation services are indeed simple, no ceremony cremation; it has been reported by the DFS Memorials network of affordable cremation service providers that the demand for low-cost direct cremation accounts for 80% of all cremations performed.
This dramatically indicates that Americans want simple and affordable cremation as a funeral alternative. Conducting a dignified disposition for under $1,000 (in most cases).
