NFDA's Annual Cremation & Burial Report Projects Cremation Rate to Rise to 82.3% by 2045

Brookfield, Wis. - Americans are choosing cremation more than ever before, setting a new milestone in funeral service trends for 2025. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, the U.S. cremation rate will reach 63.4% this year, more than double the projected burial rate of 31.6%. These shifting preferences reflect lasting changes in family priorities, funeral profession practices and cultural attitudes.

Key 2025 Report Highlights

• U.S. cremation rate: 63.4% (2025); projected to rise to 82.3% by 2045.
• Cremation will outpace burials by more than six to one by 2045, a ratio never before seen in the U.S. deathcare industry.
• U.S. burial rate: 31.6% (2025); expected to decline to 13.0% by 2045.
• Employment growth: Just 4% (2023–2033); personnel shortages remain the top business challenge.
• Funeral profession revenue: Projected to grow at an annualized rate of 2.3%, reaching $20.6 billion by 2029.
• Livestreaming and Virtual Services: Just over half of NFDA-member funeral homes now offer livestreaming options for services, and an additional 13.9% plan to add livestreaming in the near future; 47% of U.S. funeral homes offer their own virtual funerals, reflecting the growing demand for digital participation in memorials.
• Online and Green Arrangements: 36.3% of NFDA-member firms offer the option to make cremation arrangements online, with an additional 25% planning to add this option soon; 61.4% of consumers express interest in exploring "green" funeral options, demonstrating shifting consumer preferences toward more sustainable practices.
• Changing Religious Landscape: The portion of Americans identifying as Christian dropped from 78% to 60% between 2007 and 2023, while religiously unaffiliated adults grew from 16% to 28%, a key driver behind the falling preference for traditional funerals and the rise of cremation.

"As more families choose cremation and other emerging options, the heart of funeral service remains the same: helping people honor lives with dignity and meaning," said NFDA President Christopher P. Robinson, CFSP, CCO. "This report shows how our profession continues to evolve while keeping families and communities at the center of all we do."

Driving the Shift

Families increasingly favor cremation for its affordability, environmental benefits, fewer religious barriers and the desire for simpler ceremonies. As more Americans identify as non-religious (28% in 2023, up from 16% in 2007), traditional funerals are steadily declining. Funeral profession experts also note that life's realities - like the rising cost of living and more geographically dispersed families - impact end-of-life choices.

Post-Pandemic Trends

After a surge in deaths during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. death rates have stabilized, now following demographic patterns linked to an aging population. Deaths are projected to climb 26% over the next two decades, reaching approximately 3.91 million annually by 2045.

Regional and Technology Insights

By 2035, NFDA projects the percentage  of families who will choose to lay a loved one to rest through cremation will exceed 50% in every U.S. state and D.C. Today, only three states are expected to maintain majority-burial rates. The profession is also rapidly embracing digital capabilities, with online arrangements and streaming services meeting the evolving expectations of consumers. NFDA also offers free planning and grief support tools for families through its Remembering A Life initiative, available at RememberingALife.com.

About the 2025 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report

Projections compiled by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Applied Population Laboratory using data from state vital-statistics departments and NFDA consumer studies. 

The 2025 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report is available free of charge to NFDA members and for $175 for nonmembers. Funeral professionals can access the report at NFDA.org/Store.

NFDA is the world's leading and largest funeral service association, serving 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 NFDA.org.    

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Editor’s Note: Members of the media may request complimentary copies of the report from NFDA Director of Public Relations Jessica Koth: 262-814-1536 or jkoth@nfda.org.

Media Contacts: 

• Funeral Service Trade Media: Jessica Koth, National Funeral Directors Association, 262-814-1536, jkoth@nfda.org
• Consumer Media: Emily Evans, The Harbinger Group (for NFDA), 937-206-6039, emilye@theharbingergoup.com