Cremation rates have been consistently increasing in the US and in 2015 overtook burial as the most popular method of final disposition (industry phrase for what you do with your body at the end). Across the US the cremation rate is 59.3% in 2022. Cremation is now the leading choice in 42 states plus the District of Columbia.
Here we look at the cremation and burial statistics across the United States. We also look at what may be causing the different rates between states: are city people more likely to choose cremation than rural? Does income play a factor? What about religion? Read on and find out.
Key Facts About Cremation Rates in the US
- Nevada has the highest cremation rate in the US (82.6%).
- Maine, Oregon and Washington State have the next highest rates, each above 80%.
- Mississippi has the lowest cremation rate in the US with only 32.8% choosing cremation.
- The next lowest cremation rates are in Alabama (38.1%), Kentucky (41.2%) and Utah (42.8%).
- Cremation as an option has been growing fastest in Kentucky (8.2% annual growth in cremation rate since 2015), followed by Mississippi (6.7%) and Alabama (5.8%).
- States that have higher levels of regular church visitation tend to have lower cremation rates.
- Income levels and urban/rural split does not appear to be associated with cremation rates.
- The choice is not only between cremation vs burial. Body donation and entombment are other options, which tend to make up 1-13% of final disposition options.
Table of Contents
Cremation Rate in Each State
Below is a chart with the cremation rate in each state in 2022.
The data is sourced from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and is based on each state’s Vital Records. For 2022 the rates are preliminary pending finalisation of data.
Cremation rates include water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis but these numbers are still very low and not available yet in all states.
Number of Cremations in Each State
The states with the highest populations are generally ranked the highest for number of cremations, with a few differences. For example, Utah is the 30th largest state by population but ranks 43rd by number of cremations. Oregon has the 27th largest population but ranks 21st by number of cremations.
Cremation Growth Rate in Each State
The overall growth rate in the US has been 3.1% annually from 2015 to 2022. All states have increased their rate of cremations over this period. The states with the highest growth in the cremation rate tend to be those with the lowest overall cremation rates such as Kentucky and Mississippi. The states with the lowest growth rates were Hawaii, Arizona and California who grew at between 0.8% and 1% annually.
Burial Rate in Each State
The ranking of states with the highest burial rates is generally in the opposite order compared to cremation rates but not exactly. For example Nevada has the highest rate of cremations but has the fourth lowest burial rate. Cremation rate plus burial rate does not add to 100%. There are other options apart from just burial or cremation. These include choosing to donate the body to science / medicine or being entombed in a crypt or mausoleum.
Does Religion Impact Cremation Rate?
The rate of cremation tends to be lower in states with more regular church attendance and higher in states with less regular church attendance. We plotted the rate of cremation in each state compared to the rate of people attending a church service at least once per week.
Why could this be?
Most Christian faiths have accepted cremation for a long time. However the Catholic Church used to forbid cremation and only overturned their opposition in 1963. While this was six decades ago, many people dying today would have grown up in a time where it was still forbidden. Even today the Catholic Church still has a preference towards burial.
Religious people’s behaviors are not just based on rules, but also culture and tradition. Burial has for so long been the traditional way of dealing with a body. Because of this, it is reasonable that for those more tied to religious traditions burial remains the popular choice.
Does Income Impact Cremation Rate?
There doesn’t seem to be a relationship between average personal income for each state and the cremation rate. We plotted the rate of cremation in each state compared to the average personal income level for each state.
Does Urban/Rural Split Impact Cremation Rate?
There doesn’t seem to be a relationship between urban/rural split and the level of cremation rates at the state level. We plotted the rate of cremation in each state compared to the percent of urban population for each state.
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