Pros and cons of cremation

While cremation has advantages and disadvantages, more and more people are choosing cremation.

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) projects that by 2045, the cremation rate will reach 82%, compared to 18% burial, in the United States. These numbers are way up from a little more than a decade ago, when approximately 45% of Americans chose cremation. U.S. cremation rates vary by region, from around 34% in Mississippi to more than 80% in Washington.

Pros of cremation

Flexible timing

When you choose cremation, you have as much time as you need to plan a funeral, memorial or celebration of life. Cremation allows families to focus on their immediate grief and decide on the details of a service when the shock of death subsides a bit. Families who choose cremation often wait weeks or months before holding a service.

More memorialization options 

Cremation allows for a nearly endless array of options for a loved one's ashes, including a permanent memorial in a cemetery. A glass-front niche, for example, allows a family to create a beautiful display with the loved one's urn and a few cherished mementos. Mixed estates that accommodate casket burials and cremation placements permit families with different choices to stay together in a cemetery. Because ashes can be divided, families can choose more than one option for memorialization.

Mobility 

Today's families are more likely to be scattered across the country than families in the past. Because ashes can be divided and easily transported, multiple family members can keep a portion. And if someone moves, a loved one's ashes can go with them.

Cons of cremation

Religious prohibitions

There are a few religions that prohibit or strongly discourage cremation for their followers, primarily due to beliefs about the sanctity of the body and the afterlife. They include Islam, Orthodox Judaism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Discomfort with the process

Most people don't know how cremation works, and it may be a tough choice for some family members to accept. With only a general idea about the process, the prospect of "burning" a loved one can invoke feelings of dread or fear. Though most cremations today do involve extreme heat, alternatives are on the rise.

Lack of closure 

In families who opt for cremation without a service, what's often called direct cremation, there may be those who struggle without a formal opportunity to say goodbye. That's why many who choose cremation also opt to hold a viewing, memorial service or celebration of life.

Permanence

Cremation is irreversible. The body of a loved one may be cremated, but cremated remains cannot be reformed into a body.

Pros and cons of burial

Like cremation, casket burial also has advantages and disadvantages. But there are no right or wrong choices; there's only the choice that best suits you and your family. The two things one might think give casket burial an advantage over cremation—a funeral service and a cemetery memorial—are also available to families who choose cremation.

Pros of burial

Familiarity 

For centuries, and until recently, in the United States, traditional burial was the more common choice. Most people have attended a viewing or funeral and are familiar with—and thus less afraid of—the process.

Greater family support 

Some people have a level of comfort with casket burial that they don't have with cremation. In addition, more religions are agreeable to burial, which would be important in families with a range of beliefs.

Inclusion of cherished mementos

Whether in-ground or aboveground, casket burial allows special items to be included with a loved one. Placing objects such as photos, jewelry, notes, toys, books or even booze inside a loved one's casket is a very old tradition. Mourners often find this greatly comforting.

Cons of burial

Time pressure 

Most burials take place within a few days of death. Families who choose traditional burial may feel rushed to make important decisions, especially if the loved one who has died didn't have a prepaid funeral plan in place.

Higher cost 

Traditional burial can be more costly than cremation, though that's not always true. If a family chooses cremation with a viewing and a service, the cost can be comparable.

Geographic limitations 

By its very nature, burial has a fixed location. Having a permanent place to remember is incredibly important to many families, but that can mean some family members won't be able to visit the gravesite. It can also mean traveling to visit a grave if the family moves.

Alternative options

Nowadays, there are alternative options to traditional burial or cremation. These include water cremation and human composting, both available only in some areas. 

Water cremation 

Water cremation involves using alkaline chemicals, water and heat to break down a loved one’s body. You may also hear this process called alkaline hydrolysis or flameless cremation. Like other end-of-life options, water cremation has some pros and cons.

Pros of water cremation 

Same services available

Although the process of water cremation is different from traditional cremation, a family can still hold a memorial, celebration of life, cemetery burial or scattering ceremony.

Flexible scheduling

As with traditional cremation, water cremation allows flexibility to accommodate different schedules, plan around a special date, wait for venue availability or choose a season when outdoor services would be more comfortable.

Cons of water cremation

Slightly higher cost

Water cremation may cost a bit more than traditional cremation. Keep in mind that your overall cost will depend on your funeral home’s exact fees, as well as any other services that you choose to include.

Not available in all areas 

Although water cremation was invented in the late 1800s, it's still not available in all U.S. states. About 50% of U.S. states and Canadian provinces have legalized the water cremation process. However, even in some places where it’s legal, there may not yet be providers.

Human composting

Human composting involves using natural processes to turn a loved one’s body into nutrient-rich soil that may be used for planting, depending on state regulations and requirements. It’s available in a limited number of states now, though more states are considering it.

Pros of human composting

Nourishes new life

The soil created through the human composting process can be placed or scattered in a meaningful location, similar to ashes from cremation. However, the soil can also be used to grow houseplants, trees and flowers.  

Restores the environment

Human composting produces a large amount of soil—about a half cubic yard. This is more soil than most families have space for. Soil you choose not to take home can be used for land restoration in natural areas that need assistance, such as Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

Services are still possible

Like cremation and water cremation, human composting offers families the flexibility to have a memorial or celebration of life. Some hold a service to create a garden or plant a tree. This way, the new life that the soil is nourishing becomes the focal point.

Cons of human composting

Not available everywhere

As of 2025, human composting was legal in 13 states. However, only a few states currently have providers that offer the service. A loved one can be transported from a state that doesn't provide the service to one that does.

Takes more time

Because it is a natural process, human composting takes much longer than burial or cremation. About 45 days are needed to complete the process.

Not accepted by all religions

Some religions are not open to the idea of human composting. If you’re concerned about adhering to religious guidelines, it’s best to consult with your religious leader.

Why some choose cremation over burial

There are many reasons people choose cremation for themselves or their loved ones. Some of the more common ones:

Religion: In recent years, religious attitudes about cremation have shifted. Many religions, such as Catholicism and Judaism, that were once strongly against cremation, are now more accepting of the practice. In addition, more Americans identify as not affiliated with a particular religion, and they may choose cremation over burial.

Budget: Some families choose cremation because it can be a less expensive option—though cost differences vary widely and depend on factors such as whether there's a service before or after and how ashes are memorialized.

Flexible timing: Cremation allows as much time as needed to plan a funeral, memorial or celebration of life. You can hold a viewing for nearby family and friends before the cremation and then host a larger memorial or scattering service weeks or months later for friends and family who need to make travel plans and take off work. That's especially beneficial for those who live in different parts of the country or world.

Creative memorialization: Cremation allows for so many special options for the lasting remembrance of a loved one. Ashes can be placed in an ocean reef or sent into space. They can be incorporated into jewelry and art, pressed into vinyl records, made into fireworks, placed in a mausoleum niche or outdoor columbarium, memorialized near a loved one in a private mausoleum or ground space, or scattered from a mountaintop or into the sea. The endless options can be as unique as the life being honored.

Religious considerations

Religious beliefs and traditions are important to many. When deciding on burial or cremation, consider these guiding principles:

Buddhism

Buddhists often choose cremation, although some families select casket burial.

Catholicism

The Catholic Church instructs that the deceased be laid to rest in a cemetery. If cremation is selected, ashes are to be buried or placed in a mausoleum or columbarium, rather than scattered or kept at home. In some areas, the Catholic Church provides cemetery gardens or mausoleums that have been consecrated and are considered sacred ground. In other areas, a priest can perform a service to bless the gravesite.

Greek Orthodoxy

The Greek Orthodox Church considers cremation a desecration of the body. The deceased must be buried in the ground; embalming is a common practice.

Hinduism

Hindus believe cremation liberates the soul of the deceased, who may linger if the physical body remains. The sooner the body is cremated (often within 24 hours of death), the sooner the person can begin his or her next journey.

Islam

Islamic law is very specific about the way a member of the Muslim faith is to be prepared for burial, beginning with a ritual washing. Islam does not allow cremation, and Islamic law provides directions for burial. Muslims are to be buried in a Muslim cemetery or a special Muslim section of a community cemetery.

Judaism

The Jewish faith prioritizes returning the whole body to earth promptly. Although cremation is contrary to Jewish tradition, contemporary Jewish families are becoming more open to the practice. Traditional Jewish funeral tradition calls for a simple wood casket, sometimes with holes in the bottom. If a vault is used, it may have holes in the bottom or no bottom at all (depending on cemetery regulations and community customs).

Protestantism

Just as Protestants have many funeral service options, they also have many choices for final disposition. The deceased may be interred in the ground or entombed in a mausoleum. Ashes may be scattered, buried in a cemetery or placed in a church columbarium.

Many families today are blended, and they may choose a blend of final arrangements. There may be multiple faiths represented in a family, and there may be members who aren't religious at all. These families sometimes find a compromise by holding a visitation, mass or full funeral so certain traditions can be honored before cremation.

This article provides general information on different religious beliefs related to burial and cremation, but does not reflect the nuances of each religion, which may differ based on geographic region, religious sects, etc. Please consult your religious leader with any questions about beliefs specific to your religion.

Cost of cremation vs. burial

The cost of most everything is on the rise, and for many people, money is a concern. Without a prepaid plan in place, the cost of final arrangements catches many families off guard. Cremation can cost less than burial, but that's not always the case. The cost differences can be dramatic or negligible, depending on a family's choices.

In 2023, according to NFDA, the median cost of cremation in the United States, including the casket and urn, was around $6,280. The median cost of a traditional funeral with a viewing was $8,300. Of course, with a burial, cemetery expenses will also be incurred. Prices vary from city to city and even among providers in the same city. Neither price includes cemetery property.

A direct cremation is the least expensive type of cremation, and it can cost thousands less than a funeral with a traditional burial. However, many families don't realize they can have a visitation and funeral prior to cremation. Many families who choose cremation also hold celebrations afterward.

These services add to the total cost, but they allow friends and family to say goodbye and participate in familiar rituals. 

We’re here to help

Choosing between cremation and burial is a personal decision best made after open conversations with your loved ones. Our caring team is here to answer your questions, explain your options and help you make the choice that feels right for your family.