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How Much Does a Funeral Cost in 2023

In the United States of America, funerals are getting costly day by day. The average funeral costs along with burial service, viewing, and vault may cost you about $9,420. However, the medical cost of cremation is $6,970 which includes a funeral service and viewing. 

On the other hand, if someone chooses direct burial or direct cremation, he can significantly reduce funeral expenses. A direct funeral means instant cremation or burying the body without any funeral services. A direct burial may cost about $2,597 on average while the average cost of direct cremation is $2,183.

Meanwhile, these costs may vary from one state to another and one insurance company to another. Here we will give you a quick estimate of burial and cremation costs in different states of the USA. 

Average Funeral Costs by Several States

According to the NFDA (National Funeral Directors Association), the average cost of funeral expenses is about $10,000 along with a vault. However, the cremation cost is less, as it’s around $6,970. 

Here is an estimate of several states of America for burial and cremation costs. We also try to cover the costs of direct burial and direct cremation. Let’s have a look! 

 

State Burial Cost Cremation Cost Direct BurialDirect Cremation
Alaska$7,225$6,028$3,104$1,935
California$7,225$6,028$3,441$1,582
Arkansas$7,334$6,405$3,264$1,671
Arizona$6,888$5,694$3,203$1,430
Alabama$7,271$6,314$3,838$2,016
Connecticut$7,881$7,069$4,815$3,150
Colorado$6,888$5,694$3,637$1,683
Delaware$7,800$7,070$4,452$2,616
District Of Columbia$7,881$7,069$4,641$2,149
Florida$7,800$7,070$3,994$1,683
Georgia$$7,800$7,070$3,931$1,918
Hawaii$7,225$6,028$3,400$1,547
Illinois$7,868$6,953$4,095$2,551
Idaho$6,888$5,694$3,407$1,700
Indiana$7,868$6,953$4,003$2,284
Iowa$8,500$7,560$4,611$2,992
Kentucky$7,271$6,314$3,595$2,022
Kansas$8,500$7,560$4,152$2,525
Louisiana$7,334$6,405$3,979$2,283
Maine$7,881$7,069$4,237$2,347
Maryland$7,800$7,070$4,395$2,426
Michigan$7,868$6,953$3,782$2,245
Minnesota$8,500$7,560$4,655$2,914
Massachusetts$7,881$7,069$4,330$2,696
Missouri$8,500$7,560$3,792$1,845
Mississippi$7,271$6,314$3,801$1,986
Montana$6,888$5,694$3,898$2,478
Neveda$6,888$5,694$3,772$1,428
Nebraska$8,500$7,560$4,274$2,969
New Jersey$8,093$7,463$4,181$2,505
New Hampshire$7,881$7,069$4,123$2,176
New York$8,093$7,463$3,803$2,391
New Mexico$6,888$5,694$3,553$1,940
North Carolina$7,800$7,070$3,585$1,914
North Dakota$8,500$7,560$4,258$3,183
Oklahoma$7,334$6,405$3,681$2,141
Ohio$7,868$6,953$3,729$2,045
Oregon$7,225$6,028$3,188$1,264
Pennsylvania$8,093$7,463$4,076$2,456
Rhode Island$7,881$7,069$4,039$2,615
South Dakota$8,500$7,560$3,964$2,826
South Carolina$7,800$7,070$3,711$1,937
Texas$7,334$6,405$3,988$2,108
Tennessee$7,271$6,314$3,570$1,933
Utah$6,888$5,694$3,455$1,625
Virginia$7,800$7,070$3,895$2,457
Vermont$7,881$7,069$3,823$2,295
Washington$7,225$6,028$3,342$1,460
Wisconsin$7,868$6,953$4,328$2,862
West Virginia$7,800$7,070$3,706$2,257
Wyoming$6,888$5,694$3,854$2,533

 

What Are The Services Included In The Funeral Cost?

Various services are considered in the overall cost of the funeral. Here are some of the most common ones:

 

Basic Service Fee ($2,300): It is a non-declinable fee that covers the cost of the labor and equipment.

Removal or Transfer of Remains ($350): It included the charges for transferring the body to the funeral home or mortuary.

 

Embalming ($775): This service is often required when the body is going to be transferred interstate or may be required for open-casket services.

 

Cosmetic Preparations ($275): It covers the cost of applying makeup, clothing, hairdressing, or any other general preparation of the body.

 

Viewing ($450): This service cost will apply if someone wants to use the chapel of the funeral home for viewing.

 

Funeral Home Staff Services ($515): The cost will be applicable if the services of the funeral home staff are used to assist with the funeral ceremony.

 

Hearse ($350): It is the vehicle used to transfer the coffin from the funeral home to the cemetery.

 

Service Van ($150): The van or car used to transport family members or sometimes used to transport the deceased instead of a hearse.

 

Printed Memorial Package ($183): Some funeral homes often print pamphlets and prayer cards to honor the deceased and detail the outline of the service.

 

Burial Casket ($2,500): The casket cost depends on your needs whether you want a metal casket or a wooden casket. A metal casket may have a median price of about $2,500, a wooden casket costs you $3,000, and a green casket with no chemical treatment has a cost of $1,500.

 

Vault ($1,572): The service requires a vault also known as a burial container that is a lined and sealed concrete receptacle to protect the grave from sinking.

 

Cremation Fee ($368): It is the cost of a third-party crematory performing the cremation.

 

Cremation Casket ($1,310): It is a casket used for cremation purposes and is different from those used for burial. It typically costs you less.

 

Urn ($295): This cost may vary quite a bit based on the size and material quality of the container.

 

What Are Other Possible Funeral Expenses to Consider?

Based on one’s preferences, you may also have to count these expenses to the final cost:

 

1- Cemetery Plots ($3,581): The cremation plot’s cost may vary as it depends on the region or state of the country. Along with this, the price also depends on the specifics of the cemetery, its location, and the size of a burial plot.

 

2- Grave Markers and Headstones ($2,000): An affordable expectation for a headstone may cost about $500 to $3,000. However, plain, flat grave markers typically cost hundreds of dollars instead of thousands.

 

3- Flowers ($70): Typically, it may cost you about $50 to $80. In addition, special arrangements can cost you various hundred dollars.

 

Cost of Cremation vs. Burial Services

Cremation services may cost you less on average as compared to burial, and the difference isn’t much between them. A study by the NFDA estimates a median cost of $7,848 for a funeral with viewing and burial services and $6,970 for viewing and cremation.

 

Moreover, some states demand to include a burial vault to protect the casket making burial services more expensive.

 

The cost of a viewing or memorial service increases the costs of both burial and cremation. On the other hand, if someone chooses direct burial or direct cremation, that doesn’t include any event or memorial service, he has to spend much less. For instance, a direct cremation may cost you about $2,500.

 

Using a Life Insurance Plan To Pay For A Funeral

Getting a life insurance plan for funeral expenses is the best way to ensure that your family will not be left with hefty bills. In this way, you can arrange your funeral and give your loved ones financial protection in an already tough time.

 

Funeral expenses are costly, but aside from them, there are some other costs related to death that you have to consider. Otherwise, all of these expenses are to be managed by your loved ones after your death. In that way, your family will be left with bills from end-of-life care. Moreover, they also have to pay daily life bills and expenses that you may have covered for them.

 

Read More: (Final Expense Insurance)

Having life insurance like funeral or burial insurance for your final expenses would be beneficial as it will pay a lump sum amount to the aligned beneficiaries. This amount can be used however your family members want to. However, the turnaround time to get the death benefit is pretty short, as sometimes within a week of filing a claim, the beneficiary gets the amount.

 

With the right coverage of the insurance plan, your family can use the payout to finance your funeral and final expenses. If you opt for enough coverage, the death benefit would also cover some other expenses like medical bills, debts, or daily routine expenses. 

 

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