The cremation rate has grown exponentially over the last 12 years, with over 63% of Americans now choosing cremation over traditional burial a figure projected to reach 85% by 2035 according to the NFDA.
Use our Local Provider Search to find your nearest DFS location & Cremation Price.
Why are more Americans choosing cremation?
Several reasons are cited, but by far, the most common reason is COST. Economic conditions for the majority of Americans mean that the days of elaborate and costly traditional burials are over.
A traditional burial would cost between $10,000 and $15,000 on average, depending on the casket, funeral service, burial plot, vault, and grave marker. If the deceased had not made any pre-need funeral plan and the surviving family was left to fork out for the funeral, then spending tens of thousands of dollars is just NOT an option.
CNN reports that 76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. These folks cannot afford the sudden ‘disruption’ to their finances caused by an unexpected expenditure such as a funeral.
And let’s face the harsh reality: there really is NO financing for a funeral. Seriously, who will lend money based on having no means to ‘re-possess’ the goods?!!
Lower costs mean cremation is the preferred choice for many families
So, for many Americans, cremation has just entered the scene as the ONLY viable, affordable alternative to conduct a funeral.
A cremation service will cost you within the region of $3,000 – $4000.
This is a full-service funeral but with a cremation conducted after the service.
A cremation memorial in which the deceased is first cremated and then a memorial service is held with the cremated remains costs less than a full-service cremation.
A cremation memorial is likely to cost in the region of $1,500 – $2,500.
For families that can only afford the bare minimum or for those families that do not desire any services whatsoever, direct cremation is the solution. In a direct cremation, the funeral home and/or crematory simply conduct the cremation of the deceased and return the remains to the family.
In most cities, a direct cremation costs between $795 and $1,995. Rural prices tend to be higher. In most of the U.S., you can conduct a direct cremation service for around $1,000 to $1,200.
How to find the cheapest local cremation service
Use our Local Provider Search to find your nearest DFS location & Cremation Price.
It is always wise to check cremation prices from more than one funeral home or cremation service provider. You will quickly discover that the cost of a cremation service can vary, even for the exact same service.
If cost is king for you and you want to arrange a low-cost direct cremation and keep your funeral costs to a minimum, then DFS Memorials can help you. DFS Memorials is a network of local, independent funeral homes, all offering an affordable direct cremation package.
We conducted extensive price comparison research to recruit a local cremation provider that represented the best value in quality and price for a simple direct cremation.
Sara Marsden-Ille is a writer and researcher specialising in the death care industry. With more than 15 years covering end-of-life services, funeral trends, and consumer funeral planning, she writes for DFS Memorials and US Funerals Online to help families make informed decisions.
