Report: Cremation Increasingly More Common Than Burials

A new study finds cremation continues to outpace burials in the United States.

The annual Cremation and Burial Report released Thursday by Brookfield-based National Funeral Directors Association found the cremation rate first rose above 50 percent in 2016, and has remained the top method of disposition since.

The study projects by 2040 that rate could reach 78.7 percent.

The study cites cost as one of several factors behind the change. Typical cremation costs can be 40 percent less than those for burial.

James Olson, a funeral director in Sheboygan and spokesman for the National Funeral Directors Association, said more than ever people are moving to different places during their lives and that may make cremation a more attractive option than choosing a burial site in their hometown.

“Convenience can be a large factor in families’ decisions to choose cremation,” he said.

The growing number of Americans who have no religious affiliation are also more likely to opt for cremation over burial. The report finds the number of licensed crematories in the U.S. has been rising as a result of the change. Between 2017 and 2019, the number of licensed crematories in the United States increased 8.9 percent.

Olson said the industry increasingly works with families to personalize services as preferences evolve.

“(With) cremation, obviously the numbers are going up, but that doesn’t mean it’s in place of a funeral,” he said.