Cremation Cost by State: All 50 States Compared
Cremation cost by state ranges from an average of $1,264 for direct cremation in Oregon to $3,183 in North Dakota, against a national average of $2,195. Every state below links to a full guide with its price range, the lowest price we found, and local ways to save.
Families are often surprised to learn that cremation cost by state can differ by more than $1,900 for exactly the same service. This page is the index for our researched dataset: one average direct cremation price, one lowest-found price, and one cremation-with-service average for every state, each checked in October 2026 and explained in full on the state pages.
The full cremation cost by state table
Figures are averages from published provider price research. The lowest found column shows the cheapest all-inclusive direct cremation price we found advertised in that state. Open any state for its full range, what drives its prices, and how to save there.
| State | Direct cremation, average | Lowest found | With service, average | State guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $2,016 | $995 | $5,750 | Cost of cremation in Alabama |
| Alaska | $1,935 | $1,150Estimate | $5,525Estimate | Cost of cremation in Alaska |
| Arizona | $1,430 | $950 | $6,000 | Cost of cremation in Arizona |
| Arkansas | $1,671 | $795 | $4,775Estimate | Cost of cremation in Arkansas |
| California | $1,582 | $1,045 | $8,500 | Cost of cremation in California |
| Colorado | $1,683 | $995 | $6,750 | Cost of cremation in Colorado |
| Connecticut | $3,150 | $2,000 | $9,250 | Cost of cremation in Connecticut |
| Delaware | $2,616 | $1,295 | $7,475Estimate | Cost of cremation in Delaware |
| Florida | $1,683 | $765 | $7,000 | Cost of cremation in Florida |
| Georgia | $1,918 | $795 | $6,500 | Cost of cremation in Georgia |
| Hawaii | $1,547 | $925Estimate | $4,425Estimate | Cost of cremation in Hawaii |
| Idaho | $1,700 | $1,025Estimate | $4,875Estimate | Cost of cremation in Idaho |
| Illinois | $2,551 | $1,095 | $7,000 | Cost of cremation in Illinois |
| Indiana | $2,284 | $850 | $6,525Estimate | Cost of cremation in Indiana |
| Iowa | $2,992 | $895 | $8,550Estimate | Cost of cremation in Iowa |
| Kansas | $2,525 | $845 | $7,225Estimate | Cost of cremation in Kansas |
| Kentucky | $2,022 | $850 | $5,775Estimate | Cost of cremation in Kentucky |
| Louisiana | $2,283 | $1,495 | $6,525Estimate | Cost of cremation in Louisiana |
| Maine | $2,347 | $1,195 | $6,725Estimate | Cost of cremation in Maine |
| Maryland | $2,426 | $1,395 | $6,950Estimate | Cost of cremation in Maryland |
| Massachusetts | $2,696 | $895 | $8,750 | Cost of cremation in Massachusetts |
| Michigan | $2,245 | $1,099 | $6,500 | Cost of cremation in Michigan |
| Minnesota | $2,914 | $1,750Estimate | $8,325Estimate | Cost of cremation in Minnesota |
| Mississippi | $1,986 | $1,295 | $5,500 | Cost of cremation in Mississippi |
| Missouri | $1,845 | $845 | $5,275Estimate | Cost of cremation in Missouri |
| Montana | $2,478 | $1,475Estimate | $7,100Estimate | Cost of cremation in Montana |
| Nebraska | $2,969 | $1,070 | $8,500Estimate | Cost of cremation in Nebraska |
| Nevada | $1,428 | $995 | $4,075Estimate | Cost of cremation in Nevada |
| New Hampshire | $2,176 | $1,195 | $6,225Estimate | Cost of cremation in New Hampshire |
| New Jersey | $2,519 | $995 | $8,750 | Cost of cremation in New Jersey |
| New Mexico | $1,940 | $750 | $5,550Estimate | Cost of cremation in New Mexico |
| New York | $2,391 | $495 | $9,500 | Cost of cremation in New York |
| North Carolina | $1,914 | $1,196 | $6,500 | Cost of cremation in North Carolina |
| North Dakota | $3,183 | $1,900Estimate | $9,100Estimate | Cost of cremation in North Dakota |
| Ohio | $2,045 | $825 | $6,250 | Cost of cremation in Ohio |
| Oklahoma | $2,141 | $1,050 | $5,650 | Cost of cremation in Oklahoma |
| Oregon | $1,264 | $995 | $3,625Estimate | Cost of cremation in Oregon |
| Pennsylvania | $2,456 | $695 | $7,500 | Cost of cremation in Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island | $2,615 | $1,575Estimate | $7,475Estimate | Cost of cremation in Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | $1,937 | $895 | $5,550Estimate | Cost of cremation in South Carolina |
| South Dakota | $2,836 | $1,700Estimate | $8,100Estimate | Cost of cremation in South Dakota |
| Tennessee | $1,933 | $795 | $5,525Estimate | Cost of cremation in Tennessee |
| Texas | $2,018 | $845 | $6,500 | Cost of cremation in Texas |
| Utah | $1,625 | $1,467 | $4,650Estimate | Cost of cremation in Utah |
| Vermont | $2,295 | $1,375Estimate | $6,575Estimate | Cost of cremation in Vermont |
| Virginia | $2,457 | $1,365 | $7,000 | Cost of cremation in Virginia |
| Washington | $1,460 | $995 | $7,750 | Cost of cremation in Washington |
| West Virginia | $2,249 | $1,795 | $6,425Estimate | Cost of cremation in West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | $2,862 | $1,395 | $8,175Estimate | Cost of cremation in Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | $2,533 | $1,525Estimate | $7,250Estimate | Cost of cremation in Wyoming |
A figure tagged Estimate is a modelled estimate, not a published price: a lowest found price set at 60% of the state average where no starting price is published, or a with-service average scaled from the NFDA national median where no state figure is published. The methodology page explains both, and each state page tags its own estimates the same way.
Cheapest and priciest states
The ten cheapest states by average direct cremation cost are Oregon ($1,264), Nevada ($1,428), Arizona ($1,430), Washington ($1,460), Hawaii ($1,547), California ($1,582), Utah ($1,625), Arkansas ($1,671), Colorado ($1,683), Florida ($1,683). The ten priciest are North Dakota ($3,183), Connecticut ($3,150), Iowa ($2,992), Nebraska ($2,969), Minnesota ($2,914), Wisconsin ($2,862), South Dakota ($2,836), Massachusetts ($2,696), Delaware ($2,616), Rhode Island ($2,615). High cremation rates and strong provider competition pull prices down; distance and a thin provider market push them up.
Regional patterns
South (11 states) averages $2,124 for direct cremation. Its states run from Arkansas at $1,671 to Delaware at $2,616. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
West (5 states) averages $1,558 for direct cremation. Its states run from Oregon at $1,264 to Alaska at $1,935. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
Mountain (8 states) averages $1,852 for direct cremation. Its states run from Nevada at $1,428 to Wyoming at $2,533. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
Northeast (9 states) averages $2,516 for direct cremation. Its states run from New Hampshire at $2,176 to Connecticut at $3,150. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
Southeast (5 states) averages $1,982 for direct cremation. Its states run from Florida at $1,683 to Virginia at $2,457. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
Midwest (12 states) averages $2,604 for direct cremation. Its states run from Missouri at $1,845 to North Dakota at $3,183. Open any state guide above for the detail behind the number.
How to use these numbers
Use your state average as a sanity check, not a quote. When a provider quotes well above the state average for a direct cremation, ask for the itemized General Price List and compare it with one dedicated cremation provider before you agree. When a quote sits far below the lowest price on this page, check what it leaves out, especially transport distance, the crematory fee, and death certificates. The methodology page explains where every figure comes from and how the estimates are built.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the cheapest cremation cost?
Oregon has the lowest average direct cremation cost in our dataset at $1,264, followed by Nevada ($1,428) and Arizona ($1,430). The lowest starting prices anywhere are found in Florida (from $765), Pennsylvania (from $695) and New Mexico (from $750). Averages and starting prices differ because a few low-cost providers can sit well below a state average.
Which state has the most expensive cremation cost?
North Dakota posts the highest average direct cremation cost at $3,183, with Connecticut ($3,150) and Iowa ($2,992) close behind. Sparse populations, long transport distances and few competing crematories are the main reasons rural states price higher than big coastal metros.
Why does cremation cost by state vary so much?
Four things drive the gap: state rules (some states require a licensed funeral director for every cremation), how many crematories operate nearby, local competition between funeral homes and dedicated cremation providers, and general operating costs such as wages and rent. The same direct cremation can differ by more than $1,500 between two states.
Can I arrange a cremation in a cheaper neighboring state?
Sometimes, if your loved one died near a state border and the provider is licensed where the death occurred. Transport distance charges can erase the saving, so compare the full written total from both providers, including transport, before deciding.