“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.”  -Rabindranath Tagore

Cremation Statistics

Preliminary 2003 Statistics 2003 Projections based on past 5 years’ average percent change

***United States 1,864 693,742 2,423,000 24.25% 27.75% 28.63%
Alabama** 26 2,124 46,600 3.94% 4.44% 4.56%
Alaska* 8 1,758 3,169 51.50% 54.85% 55.47%
Arizona* 46 24,582 42,830 50.99% 56.47% 57.39%
Arkansas** 16 4,778 27,957 11.69% 15.93% 17.09%
California**** 181 115,473 219,487 43.57% 48.45% 52.61%
Colorado** 47 15,389 29,462 44.49% 50.79% 52.23%
Connecticut** 20 9,442 29,329 25.70% 30.93% 32.19%
Delaware** 15 1,993 7,090 22.38% 27.00% 28.12%
District of Columbia** 0 1,954 5,454 17.36% 30.97% 35.83%
Florida** 164 82,550 168,598 43.24% 47.92% 48.96%
Georgia** 47 12,370 66,542 12.53% 17.28% 18.59%
Hawaii* 11 5,775 9,176 57.93% 61.26% 62.94%
Idaho** 20 4,700 10,466 33.89% 42.69% 44.90%
Illinois2 78 19,873 105,575 19.67% 20.00% 18.82%
Indiana** 46 9,684 56,017 12.38% 16.27% 17.29%
Iowa** 37 5,396 28,138 13.64% 18.02% 19.18%
Kansas** 18 5,611 24,840 16.29% 21.28% 22.59%
Kentucky* 16 3,865 39,591 6.46% 9.05% 9.76%
Louisiana** 12 5,639 42,676 8.38% 12.13% 13.21%
Maine** 6 6,260 12,429 39.89% 48.32% 50.37%
Maryland* 29 11,678 44,447 20.15% 24.91% 26.27%
Massachusetts** 15 14,361 55,836 21.70% 24.97% 25.72%
Michigan** 57 29,937 86,644 27.00% 33.07% 34.55%
Minnesota* 40 13,332 37,717 26.18% 33.04% 35.35%
Mississippi** 13 2,341 28,882 4.42% 7.20% 8.10%
Missouri* 40 11,390 56,903 14.40% 18.61% 20.02%
Montana* 23 4,605 8,426 48.24% 53.13% 54.65%
Nebraska* 9 3,621 15,618 16.16% 21.22% 23.18%
Nevada* 13 11,644 18,970 56.55% 60.69% 61.38%
New Hampshire** 13 4,794 9,756 44.65% 48.34% 49.14%
New Jersey* 31 18,911 72,563 21.50% 25.11% 26.06%
New Mexico* 18 6,297 14,523 34.25% 41.39% 43.36%
New York* 49 35,073 151,491 18.95% 21.14% 23.15%
North Carolina** 72 14,682 73,443 13.64% 18.63% 19.99%
North Dakota* 3 1,020 6,500 10.08% 14.81% 15.69%
Ohio** 83 25,601 109,700 18.42% 22.38% 23.34%
Oklahoma* 16 6,367 34,522 9.89% 16.02% 18.44%
Oregon** 62 18,717 30,973 53.04% 59.09% 60.43%
Pennsylvania** 80 31,450 126,404 18.71% 23.64% 24.88%
Rhode Island1 6 3,799 10,215 30.45% 23.57% 37.19%
South Carolina** 30 6,615 38,060 12.10% 16.26% 17.38%
South Dakota* 5 1,367 7,338 12.10% 16.97% 18.63%
Tennessee1 17 1,835 56,909 6.51% 4.95% 3.22%
Texas* 71 30,706 155,197 13.92% 18.42% 19.79%
Utah** 12 2,674 13,426 15.79% 19.11% 19.91%
Vermont** 10 2,409 5,068 38.86% 45.87% 47.52%
Virginia** 66 13,652 58,264 16.43% 21.95% 23.43%
Washington* 72 28,299 45,923 54.98% 60.58% 61.62%
West Virginia* 16 3,043 21,033 5.10% 13.95% 14.47%
Wisconsin** 62 14,300 46,194 23.73% 29.52% 30.96%
Wyoming* 11 1,596 3,989 25.27% 36.43% 40.01%

Data shown for the “Number of Crematories” was collected from surveys distributed to leading crematory manufacturers.*Official 2003 figure from National Vital Statistics System, State Health Department or similar entity. Twenty states reported their numbers.**Estimated using official 98-02 state data and 2002 confirmed death count from National Vital Statistics.***2003 United States death total from the National Vital Statistics System. Volume 52, Number 22, 6/10/2004.

2003 Data & Projections to the Year 2025

****California cremation total collected from the Association of California Cremationists.1 – RI and TN cremations derived from surveying state crematories and 2002 confirmed death count from National Vital Statistics.2 – IL figures based on 61 crematories out of 74. Thirteen crematories’ numbers were estimated. IL began collecting cremation numbers in mid-2003.

Revised 03-02-05


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