2023 NFDA General Price List Study Shows Inflation Increasing Faster than the Cost of a Funeral
Brookfield, Wis. – In spite of concerns about inflation in the United States – and skyrocketing costs for goods and services – according to the National Funeral Directors Association’s (NFDA) 2023 Member General Price List Study, funeral costs have not risen as fast as the rate of inflation. The overall rate of inflation over the past two years was 13.6%. According to NFDA’s study, the median cost of a funeral with casket and burial has increased only 5.8% over the past two years (from $7,848 to $8,300) and the median cost of a funeral with cremation, including alternative cremation casket and urn, has increased 8.1%% over the past two years (from $5,810 to $6,280).
“Funeral homes offer a wide variety of options to meet the needs and wishes. The primary role of funeral directors remains helping families understand the many options available to help them honor the life of a loved one in meaningful way,” said NFDA Research Manager Deana Gillespie. “Every funeral home offers unique services and pricing. Families should look for a funeral home that has a strong reputation with licensed funeral directors who understand their emotional needs and will be sensitive to their budget.”
National Median Cost of an Adult Funeral with Viewing and Burial
Since the 1960s, NFDA has calculated the national median cost of a funeral with burial by totaling the cost of the following items: basic services fee, removal/transfer of remains to funeral home, embalming and other preparation of the body (e.g., casketing, cosmetology, dressing and grooming), a metal casket, use of facilities and staff for viewing and funeral ceremony, use of a hearse, use of a service car/van, and a basic memorial printed package (e.g., memorial cards, register book, etc.). The cost does not take into account interment in a cemetery, monument or grave marker costs, or cash-advance charges, such as for flowers or an obituary.
Item 2023 2021 % Change Nondeclinable basic services fee $2,459 $2,300 8.5% Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home $395 $350 12.9% Embalming $845 $775 9.0% Other preparation of the body $295 $275 7.3% Use of facilities/staff for viewing $475 $450 5.6% Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony $550 $515 6.8% Hearse $375 $350 7.1% Service car/van $175 $150 16.7% Basic memorial printed package $195 $183 6.8% Metal burial casket $2,500 $2,500 0.0% Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Burial $8,300 $7,848 5.8% Vault $1,695 $1,572 7.8% Total with vault $9,995 $9,420 6.1%
National Median Cost of an Adult Funeral with Viewing and Cremation
NFDA calculates the national median cost of a cost of a funeral with cremation by totaling the cost of the following items: basic services fee, removal/transfer of remains to funeral home, embalming and other preparation of the body, use of facilities and staff for viewing and a funeral ceremony, use of a service car/van, basic memorial printed package, cremation fee, alternative cremation container, and urn. The median cost does not include the price of interment in a cemetery, monument or grave marker costs or cash advance charges.
| Item | 2023 | 2021 | % Change |
| Nondeclinable basic services fee | $2,495 | $2,300 | 8.5% |
| Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home | $395 | $350 | 12.9% |
| Embalming | $845 | $775 | 9.0% |
| Other preparation of the body | $295 | $275 | 7.3% |
| Use of facilities/staff for viewing | $475 | $450 | 5.6% |
| Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony | $550 | $515 | 6.8% |
| Service car/van | $175 | $150 | 16.7% |
| Basic memorial printed package | $195 | $183 | 6.8% |
| Cremation fee | $400 | $368 | 8.8% |
| Alternative cremation container | $160 | $150 | 6.7% |
| Urn | $295 | $295 | 0.0% |
| Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Cremation | $6,280 | $5,810 | 8.1% |
Regional Costs
Costs for goods and services vary by region. Many factors contribute to the final determination of how an individual funeral home prices its goods and services, including the firm’s business philosophy and the market in which it operates.
Median Cost of an Adult Funeral with Viewing and Ceremony Followed by Burial Median Cost of an Adult Funeral with Viewing and Cremation New England CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT $8,985 $7,023 Middle Atlantic NJ, NY, PA $8,573 $6,498 South Atlantic DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, WV, VA $8,023 $6,103 East South Central AL, KY, MS, TN $7,615 $5,858 West South Central AR, LA, OK, TX $7,912 $5,890 East North Central IL, IN, MI, OH, WI $8,280 $6,120 West North Central IA, MN, KS, MO, ND, SD, NE $8,755 $6,713 Mountain AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY $7,390 $5,505 Pacific AK, CA, HI, OR, WA $7,835 $5,812
Survey Methodology
A survey was mailed to 5,219 NFDA-member funeral homeowners on July 7, 2023, to gather General Price List and other related data. Members also had the option of completing the survey online. A link to complete the survey was emailed to all main contacts with a valid email address, posted three times in the NFDA Bulletin (electronic newsletter), and a reminder to complete the survey was emailed to all main contacts as well.
Of the potential respondents, 809 members anonymously completed the survey (474 mail and 335 online), which accurately reflects NFDA’s total membership (with 95% confidence) within a range of +/- 3.4%. Responses also accurately reflect NFDA’s membership by U.S. census district.
Order the 2023 GPL Survey Report
Funeral professionals interested in purchasing a digital copy of the survey report should call NFDA at 800-228-6332 or visit www.nfda.org/store. The full report is free to NFDA members and $175 for nonmembers.
About NFDA
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.
