Cremation is now more common than burial in the United States. But “cremation versus funeral” compares two different decisions. Cremation describes what happens to a person's body. A funeral is a ceremony, and a family can arrange one before cremation.
The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) reports a provisional U.S. cremation rate of 62.8% for 2025 in its 2026 Annual Statistics Report summary. That does not mean 62.8% of families skipped a funeral, chose the least expensive package or made arrangements without help.
Here is how cremation, burial and funeral statistics compare, and how to use them when considering your own options.
Cremation and Burial Statistics at a Glance
The date and type of statistic matter as much as the percentage.
| Measure | Figure | What the number means |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. cremation rate, 2025 | 62.8% | CANA's provisional figure, published in 2026; subject to revision |
| U.S. cremation rate, 2025 | 63.4% | NFDA's projection published in its 2025 report, not a final count |
| U.S. burial rate, 2025 | 31.6% | NFDA's projection from the same report |
| U.S. cremation rate, 2030 | 69.1% | CANA's forecast, not a result already recorded |
| U.S. cremation rate, 2045 | 82.3% | NFDA's long-term projection, not a certainty |
Sources: CANA's industry statistics and the National Funeral Directors Association's published figures. Figures checked October 10, 2026. The reports describe different reporting periods and methods; their percentages should not be blended into a single dataset.
Within NFDA's 2025 forecast, cremations outnumber burials by roughly two to one. That is a comparison of disposition methods, not of families who did or did not hold a service.
Why Cremation and Funeral Are Not Opposites
It helps to separate three choices:
- Disposition: Will the body be cremated or buried, or will another legally available option be selected?
- Gathering: Will there be a viewing, funeral, memorial service, private gathering or no organized event?
- Resting place: Where will the body or cremated remains be placed?
A cremation rate answers only the first question. It cannot tell you whether a family held a religious service, invited friends to a celebration of life or buried the cremated remains in a cemetery.
A traditional funeral followed by cremation can include a viewing and a ceremony before cremation. A memorial service after cremation is a different arrangement, with the gathering held afterward.
Direct cremation generally means cremation without a formal viewing or ceremony with the body present as part of that arrangement. Families can still organize a memorial later. The national cremation rate does not measure how many people choose direct cremation specifically.
Do Cremation and Burial Percentages Add Up to 100%?
Not necessarily. NFDA's 2025 projections are 63.4% cremation and 31.6% burial. Together, they account for 95.0%, rather than 100%.
The full 2025 NFDA report includes an “Other” disposition category. Its tables and rounding conventions matter when interpreting the remainder. It would be wrong to describe the entire non-cremation share as burial, or to assign that remainder to one particular alternative without supporting data.
It would also be wrong to subtract CANA's cremation rate from 100% and present the result as an NFDA burial rate. Those are separate research series.
What Do Funeral Cost Statistics Actually Compare?
A cremation package with a viewing and funeral is not the same purchase as direct cremation. Comparing one with the other can make a price difference look more informative than it is.
NFDA's 2023 General Price List Study, summarized by the Montana Funeral Directors Association, reported these national medians:
| Arrangement measured | 2023 national median | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Adult funeral with viewing and burial | $8,300 | Does not represent a complete cemetery-inclusive bill |
| Adult funeral with viewing and cremation | $6,280 | Includes viewing and funeral services; it is not a direct-cremation price |
These are historical survey benchmarks, not 2026 price quotes. A median is the middle value in a set of prices, not a promise about what a local provider will charge. The study received responses from 809 NFDA-member firms, rather than every funeral home in the country.
The published figures exclude cemetery interment, monument or grave-marker costs and cash-advance charges such as flowers or an obituary. The $8,300 burial figure also excludes a vault.
The NFDA report's price table lists direct cremation separately:
| Direct-cremation arrangement | 2023 median charge |
|---|---|
| Container provided by the family | $2,645 |
| Container provided by the funeral home | $2,750 |
Those are also historical national medians, not minimum prices or quotes for your area. Keeping the service categories separate gives you a more useful comparison than treating every cremation as the same purchase.
If you want a simpler arrangement, compare direct cremation providers separately. Ask each provider for an itemized quote covering the same services before comparing totals.
Questions That Make Local Price Comparisons More Useful
Before deciding that one package costs less than another, ask:
- Does the price include transportation, and is there a mileage limit?
- Are the cremation fee, required permits and cremation container included?
- Are there separate charges for refrigeration, extra transportation or additional care?
- What container is used to return the cremated remains?
- Is a viewing or memorial included, optional or arranged separately?
- Are certified death certificates, cemetery expenses and third-party charges additional?
These questions identify what is included; they do not mean every provider charges each item separately.
The FTC Funeral Rule gives consumers important rights when dealing with covered funeral providers. These include getting price information by telephone, receiving a General Price List when visiting a funeral home and selecting individual goods and services rather than accepting an unwanted package. The rule has limits; for example, it does not cover cemeteries without an on-site funeral home.
What National Statistics Cannot Decide for Your Family
A national majority does not tell you which arrangement fits your beliefs, budget or loved one's wishes. It also does not establish the most common choice in your town.
Consider the person first. Did they leave instructions? Is a religious ceremony important? Would family members prefer a place they can visit? Is there an existing cemetery arrangement? Those answers are more useful for planning than trying to follow the national trend.
When you are ready, browse cremation providers by location and request written details from the providers you are considering. Compare the care and services offered, not just the headline price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cremation more common than burial?
Yes, nationally. NFDA's 2025 projections put cremation at 63.4% and burial at 31.6%. CANA's later report gives a provisional 2025 cremation rate of 62.8%. Local patterns can differ from the national pattern.
Does choosing cremation mean there is no funeral?
No. A funeral can take place before cremation, and a memorial can be held afterward. A cremation-rate statistic does not count how many families choose either type of gathering.
Is the $6,280 cremation figure the cost of direct cremation?
No. It is NFDA's 2023 median for an adult funeral with viewing and cremation. It includes services beyond direct cremation and should not be used as a current local quote.
Are the 2025 cremation figures final?
CANA labels its newly released 2025 data provisional and subject to change. NFDA's 63.4% figure was a projection. Neither should be described as a finalized cremation rate for 2026.