What is included in the $6,280 median?
The NFDA adds up the median price of each item a family typically pays for when there is a viewing and ceremony before the cremation. Here is every line from its 2023 study.
| Item | Median |
|---|---|
| Funeral home basic services fee | $2,495 |
| Transfer of the body to the funeral home | $395 |
| Embalming | $845 |
| Other preparation of the body | $295 |
| Staff and facilities for a viewing | $475 |
| Staff and facilities for a funeral ceremony | $550 |
| Service car or van | $175 |
| Printed memorial package | $195 |
| Cremation fee | $400 |
| Alternative cremation container | $160 |
| Urn | $295 |
| Total | $6,280 |
The biggest single line is the basic services fee. The NFDA lists it as nondeclinable, which means the family pays it no matter what else they choose.
How much less is direct cremation?
The Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab) describes direct cremation this way: the body is cremated shortly after death, without embalming, and the remains go in an urn or other container. It adds that direct cremation usually costs less than a traditional full service funeral.
The NFDA study does not publish a national median for direct cremation, and we would rather not guess. What we can show is which lines from the table above a direct cremation usually skips:
- Embalming ($845 median)
- Staff and facilities for a viewing ($475)
- Staff and facilities for a funeral ceremony ($550)
- Often the printed memorial package and some preparation of the body
The basic services fee, the transfer, the cremation fee and a container still apply. To learn the real price in your area, ask two or three funeral homes for their General Price List. Each one must give it to you.
How common is cremation now?
Cremation is now the most common choice in the U.S. The NFDA projected a 2025 cremation rate of 63.4%, compared with 31.6% for burial, and expects cremation to reach 82.3% by 2045, according to its statistics page (opens in a new tab).
Cost is one reason, but not the only one. Some families like that a memorial can be held weeks later, when relatives can travel, and that there are more choices for where the ashes go.
What makes cremation cost more or less?
- Where you live. The NFDA reports different medians for each region of the country.
- Which funeral home you use. In the NFDA's words, every funeral home offers unique services and pricing.
- A viewing or a ceremony. These add staff, facilities and usually embalming.
- The urn. You can buy one anywhere, and the funeral home cannot refuse it or charge you a fee to use it.
- Where the ashes go. A cemetery plot or a niche in a columbarium is extra; scattering or keeping them at home is not.
- Extras such as flowers, an obituary, death certificate copies or a reception.
The FTC Funeral Rule (opens in a new tab) backs you up here. You can get prices by phone, buy only the items you want, and use a container or urn you bought somewhere else.
How do people pay for a cremation?
Most families pay from savings, from the estate, or with life insurance. A small final expense policy is built for this. Because it pays cash to your beneficiary, they can use it for the cremation, a memorial, or anything left over.
A policy of $7,000 would pay for a cremation with a service at the 2023 median, with a little left over. Your own number depends on the service you want and your local prices.
If a burial is more likely for your family, compare it with the cost of a funeral with burial. To see how policies work, read our burial insurance guide.