Quick Summary: A 2025 survey of New Jersey funeral homes found that a typical funeral with a viewing and burial averages $21,384 once cemetery charges are added. Nationally, the median funeral with a viewing and burial was $8,300 in 2023, before cemetery costs. Georgia has no recent statewide survey, so families there should compare price lists. Families usually pay with savings, life insurance, a prepaid plan, or a mix.
Most families have never priced a funeral until they need one. Then the numbers come all at once, during the hardest week of their lives.
This guide shares real, published numbers for New Jersey and Georgia, explains where each number comes from, and walks through the ways families usually pay. Every figure below links to its source at the end.
New Jersey: What the 2025 Survey Shows
Every two years, the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association surveys funeral homes across all 21 counties. Its 2025 survey heard back from 202 funeral homes. These are statewide averages.
For a typical funeral, the survey includes one day of visitation, embalming, a church and graveside service, the hearse, a limousine, and the funeral home's staff and facilities.
| What the family pays for | 2025 NJ average |
|---|---|
| Funeral home services and facilities (before the casket) | $10,906 |
| An average casket (18-gauge steel) | $3,786 |
| Funeral home total | $14,692 |
| Burial vault | $2,954 |
| Cemetery grave | $2,042 |
| Weekday opening and closing of the grave | $1,696 |
| Cemetery total | $6,692 |
| Typical funeral with burial | $21,384 |
| Typical funeral with cremation instead of burial | $15,372 |
The survey also priced a simpler service, with no viewing and no embalming. That option averaged $8,773 with cremation.
Keep in mind: these totals do not include a headstone, flowers, a meal after the service, or travel for family. Those can add more.
Georgia: What We Know
We could not find a recent, published statewide price survey for Georgia like the one New Jersey funeral directors publish. So we won't guess at a Georgia number.
The best yardstick is the national survey from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). In its 2023 study, the national median cost of a funeral was:
- $8,300 for a funeral with a viewing and burial.
- $9,995 for the same funeral with a burial vault.
- $6,280 for a funeral with a viewing followed by cremation.
These national numbers cover the funeral home's side. They do not include the cemetery plot, opening and closing the grave, or a headstone. In Georgia, as anywhere, prices vary a lot from one town and one funeral home to the next. The surest way to know is to ask for price lists, which we explain below.
Writing down the real numbers turns a worry into a plan.
Why Prices Vary So Much
Two families can spend very different amounts. The biggest reasons:
- Burial or cremation. Burial adds the casket, the vault, the grave, and opening and closing it.
- Viewing and embalming. A viewing usually means embalming, the funeral home's rooms, and more staff time.
- The casket or urn you choose. Prices range widely.
- Location. Funeral homes and cemeteries in busy areas often charge more.
- Extras. Flowers, programs, a meal, music, and a headstone add up.
You Have the Right to See Prices
A federal rule, called the Funeral Rule, protects families. Under this rule:
- A funeral home must give you its price list when you ask in person about arrangements.
- It must give you price information over the phone if you call and ask.
- You can choose only the items you want, apart from a basic services fee.
- You can buy a casket or urn somewhere else, and the funeral home cannot charge you an extra fee for that.
Asking for two or three price lists is not disrespectful. It is wise. Jesus spoke of the builder who first sits down and counts the cost before he builds (Luke 14:28). Counting the cost ahead of time is a way to care for your family.
How Families Usually Pay
Most families use one or more of these:
- Savings. Some people set aside money in a bank account and name a family member to receive it when they pass. Ask your bank about a "payable on death" option.
- Life insurance. A final expense policy is a small life insurance policy made for these costs. It pays the person you choose, who can use it for any bill. Read What Final Expense Insurance Covers (and What It Doesn't) to learn how it works.
- A prepaid funeral plan. You pay a funeral home ahead of time for specific services.
- Social Security. A one-time payment of $255 can go to a qualifying spouse or child. They must ask for it within two years.
- Veterans benefits. Eligible veterans may qualify for burial benefits through the VA.
- Public help. In New Jersey, families with very limited means can ask their county social services office about help with funeral costs.
When none of these are in place, families often turn to credit cards, loans, or asking relatives and friends for help.
Marisol, 66, lives in Union. She priced her own wishes: a viewing, a Mass, and cremation so her ashes can rest with her mother's. She shared the numbers with her two sons and wrote down where her policy papers are. "Now they won't have to guess," she said. (This is an illustration, not a real client.)
Start With a Number, Not a Worry
Knowing the real cost turns a big fear into a plan. If you have not talked with your family yet, our guide on talking to your kids about your final wishes can help. If health concerns are on your mind, read Can I Get Final Expense Insurance With Health Problems?
If you want help matching a plan to these costs, there is no pressure and no rush. Kevin can look at your options in a short call. Choose a time that fits your day, or call the office at (848) 212-8787. You can also visit our final expense insurance page.
Kevin Gaviria is a licensed life insurance agent in New Jersey and Georgia. This article is general education, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Cost figures come from the published sources below and will change over time.
Sources
- New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, Biennial Statistical Pricing Survey Results 2025 (statewide averages, 202 funeral homes responding).
- National Funeral Directors Association, Statistics: 2023 NFDA General Price List Study (national medians).
- Federal Trade Commission, Complying with the Funeral Rule.
- Social Security Administration, Who is eligible to receive survivors benefits (one-time $255 payment).
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Burials and memorials.
FAQs: Funeral Costs in NJ and GA
A 2025 survey of New Jersey funeral homes found a typical funeral with a viewing and burial averages $21,384, including cemetery charges. With cremation instead of burial, the average was $15,372.
We could not find a recent statewide Georgia survey. Nationally, the 2023 median for a funeral with a viewing and burial was $8,300, before cemetery costs. Ask Georgia funeral homes for their price lists to compare.
Usually, yes, because it skips the grave, the vault, and opening and closing the grave. A viewing and service before cremation still adds to the cost.
Social Security makes a one-time payment of $255 to a qualifying spouse or child. It does not cover the full cost of a funeral.
No. Under the federal Funeral Rule, you can buy a casket or urn elsewhere, and the funeral home cannot charge you an extra fee for it.
It depends on your savings, health, and wishes. Common choices are savings, a final expense policy, or a prepaid funeral plan. Kevin can walk you through the options in plain words.