Death Care Services
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 14,500 death care service providers in the US prepare the dead for burial or interment, conduct funerals, and operate sites or facilities reserved for the interment of human or animal remains. Death care service providers include funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories. Funeral homes account for about 74% of firms, while cemeteries and crematories account for the remainder. Some companies operate facilities that provide funeral services and cemeteries at the same location.
Pre-need Sales Dependent on Financial Markets
Because the proceeds from pre-need sales are typically invested in stocks, bonds and other instruments, death care service providers are vulnerable to declines in financial markets.
Government Regulation
Because the purchase of death care services occurs when families are especially vulnerable, sales are regulated at the federal, state, and local level.
Industry size & Structure
The average death care services provider operates out of a single location, employs 9-10 workers, and generates over $1.5 million annually.
- The death care services industry consists of about 14,500 companies that employ 137,000 workers and generate about $23 billion annually.
- Funeral homes account for about 74% of firms, while cemeteries and crematories account for the remainder.
- The funeral home industry is fragmented; the top 50 firms account for about 22% of industry sales. The cemetery industry is less fragmented; the top 50 firms account for about 53% of industry revenue.
- Traditionally, death care service providers have been small, family-owned businesses that are passed down for generations.
- Large companies include Service Corporation International and Carriage Services.
Industry Forecast
Death Care Services Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Mar 20, 2025 - Tariffs May Result in Higher Funeral Costs
- The death care industry will want to monitor supply chains, service pricing, and consumer sensitivity during the rollout of new Trump Administration tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada. According to Funeral Service Insider, tariffs may impact the prices for caskets imported by affected countries, meaning higher costs for consumers and tighter margins for funeral services firms. Many companies shifted their suppliers to Canada and Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic to reduce supply chain problems during the pandemic, which makes them vulnerable to tariff effects. Funeral homes may also see higher prices for certain styles of urns, like cloisonne urns, that are typically imported. Funeral homes may consider increasing service fees or modifying pricing to protect profits. Some funeral homes may price their caskets closer to wholesale to remain competitive as costs climb. According to Bloomberg, new Trump tariffs on steel and aluminum are also expected to impact burial caskets.
- Death care services, included in the “Other Services” category, is one of the 14 services industries reporting growth in February’s Services ISM Report on Business. Executives in the Other Services industry reported increases in business activity, new services, and employment, while reporting decreased inventories, lower order backlogs, and higher prices paid for materials and services. Other industries reporting growth during the period included Finance & Insurance; Wholesale Trade; Utilities; Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting; Mining; Real Estate, and Rental & Leasing. The three services industries reporting contraction during the period were Management of Companies & Support Services; Retail Trade; and Educational Services. Overall, economic activity in the services sector expanded in February, with the Services PMI registering 53.5%.
- US life expectancy increased in 2023, according to new data released in December 2024 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average life expectancy for the US population in 2023 was about 78.4 years, an increase of 0.9 years from 2022. Life expectancy for males increased from 74.8 years in 2022 to 75.8 years in 2023 while life expectancy for females increased from 80.2 years in 2022 to 81.1 years in 2023. The top three leading causes of death in the US in 2023 were heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries. COVID-19 as a cause of death dropped from the fourth leading cause in 2022 to the tenth leading cause in 2023.
- According to Connecting Directors, Thacker Caskets has introduced a new personalization option called “Lid Art” allowing families to add memorial portraits, photo inserts, and other designs to the casket. The program is called “Impressions by Thacker” and allows families to choose from 40 different designs such as hobbies, interests, religion, and the military. The lid art is a full-length magnet that can be installed on the lid. The company considers it an option for families who are considering getting a casket wrapped. According to Thacker’s VP of Marketing, Danielle Thacker, “We have recognized the growing interest by consumers of unique methods of personalization. Consumers have begun going to sources outside the funeral industry to achieve this. A great example is those consumers who have begun purchasing vinyl wrapped caskets, just like a vinyl wrapped car. Thacker has answered this growing funeral consumer demand in a way that is much more affordable and can be done on a traditional at-need delivery timeline with its new lid art product.”
Get A Demo
Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence Platform
See for yourself why over 60,000 users trust Vertical IQ for their industry research and call preparation needs. Our easy-to-digest industry insights save call preparation time and help differentiate you from the competition.
Build valuable, lasting relationships by having smarter conversations -
check out Vertical IQ today.