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The rising cost of dying, 1986–2017

October 31, 2017

We often talk about the cost of living, but there are also costs of dying. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) began tracking funeral expenses in December 1986. In the 30 years since then, the price of funerals in the United States has risen almost twice as fast as consumer prices for all items. From December 1986 to September 2017, funeral expenses rose 227.1 percent, while prices for all items rose 123.4 percent.

 

 

Cumulative percent change since December 1986 in consumer prices for funeral expenses and producer prices for burial caskets, not seasonally adjusted
Month All items CPI-U Funeral expenses, CPI-U All commodities PPI Burial caskets, PPI

Dec 1986

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jan 1987

0.6 0.0 0.8 0.6

Feb 1987

1.0 0.8 1.3 1.0

Mar 1987

1.4 1.3 1.5 1.5

Apr 1987

2.0 2.0 2.2 1.5

May 1987

2.4 2.2 2.9 2.3

Jun 1987

2.7 2.7 3.3 2.6

Jul 1987

3.0 3.0 3.8 2.8

Aug 1987

3.5 3.6 4.1 3.0

Sep 1987

4.1 3.6 4.0 3.3

Oct 1987

4.3 3.5 4.4 3.3

Nov 1987

4.4 3.7 4.5 3.3

Dec 1987

4.4 3.9 4.5 3.3

Jan 1988

4.7 4.2 4.9 3.8

Feb 1988

5.0 5.5 5.1 3.8

Mar 1988

5.4 5.8 5.2 5.8

Apr 1988

6.0 5.8 6.1 5.9

May 1988

6.3 6.4 6.8 5.9

Jun 1988

6.8 6.7 7.5 5.9

Jul 1988

7.2 6.8 8.2 6.3

Aug 1988

7.7 6.8 8.3 6.3

Sep 1988

8.4 6.9 8.4 6.4

Oct 1988

8.8 7.8 8.5 6.4

Nov 1988

8.9 7.8 8.6 6.4

Dec 1988

9.0 8.2 9.3 6.7

Jan 1989

9.6 9.1 10.8 6.7

Feb 1989

10.0 10.1 11.1 9.2

Mar 1989

10.7 10.4 11.8 9.7

Apr 1989

11.4 10.6 12.6 9.8

May 1989

12.0 11.0 13.5 9.8

Jun 1989

12.3 11.1 13.2 9.9

Jul 1989

12.6 11.2 13.1 10.2

Aug 1989

12.8 12.0 12.3 10.2

Sep 1989

13.1 12.2 12.7 10.2

Oct 1989

13.7 12.4 13.1 10.2

Nov 1989

13.9 12.5 13.0 10.2

Dec 1989

14.1 13.4 13.3 9.3

Jan 1990

15.3 15.1 15.2 9.9

Feb 1990

15.8 15.4 14.7 12.9

Mar 1990

16.5 16.5 14.5 13.1

Apr 1990

16.7 17.2 14.4 13.2

May 1990

16.9 17.9 14.9 13.2

Jun 1990

17.6 18.0 14.6 13.2

Jul 1990

18.0 18.4 14.8 13.5

Aug 1990

19.1 19.3 16.9 13.7

Sep 1990

20.1 19.8 18.8 13.7

Oct 1990

20.8 20.5 21.2 13.0

Nov 1990

21.1 20.6 20.5 13.0

Dec 1990

21.1 20.9 19.1 13.8

Jan 1991

21.8 21.8 19.4 16.3

Feb 1991

22.0 23.4 17.6 17.3

Mar 1991

22.2 24.7 16.5 17.7

Apr 1991

22.4 25.2 16.3 17.8

May 1991

22.7 25.5 16.9 17.8

Jun 1991

23.1 26.0 16.8 17.8

Jul 1991

23.3 26.2 16.4 17.8

Aug 1991

23.6 26.3 16.5 17.9

Sep 1991

24.2 26.4 16.4 17.9

Oct 1991

24.3 27.2 16.8 17.9

Nov 1991

24.7 27.7 16.8 17.9

Dec 1991

24.8 28.0 16.2 17.9

Jan 1992

25.0 29.1 15.9 20.2

Feb 1992

25.4 29.8 16.3 20.5

Mar 1992

26.1 30.5 16.4 20.6

Apr 1992

26.2 30.8 16.6 20.6

May 1992

26.4 30.9 17.6 20.6

Jun 1992

26.9 31.2 18.4 20.6

Jul 1992

27.1 31.7 18.3 20.6

Aug 1992

27.5 32.0 18.1 20.7

Sep 1992

27.9 32.2 18.4 20.8

Oct 1992

28.3 33.2 18.5 20.8

Nov 1992

28.5 33.3 18.2 20.8

Dec 1992

28.4 33.2 18.0 20.8

Jan 1993

29.0 33.8 18.4 24.7

Feb 1993

29.5 34.8 18.8 25.2

Mar 1993

30.0 36.4 19.1 25.4

Apr 1993

30.3 36.9 19.7 26.1

May 1993

30.5 37.3 20.1 26.1

Jun 1993

30.7 37.4 19.9 26.1

Jul 1993

30.7 38.3 19.6 26.1

Aug 1993

31.0 39.0 19.1 26.2

Sep 1993

31.3 39.2 19.1 26.2

Oct 1993

31.9 39.6 19.5 26.2

Nov 1993

31.9 39.6 19.4 26.2

Dec 1993

31.9 40.4 19.0 26.2

Jan 1994

32.3 41.2 19.5 30.2

Feb 1994

32.8 42.2 19.7 30.5

Mar 1994

33.2 43.0 20.1 30.6

Apr 1994

33.4 43.2 20.1 30.6

May 1994

33.5 43.6 20.3 30.6

Jun 1994

33.9 43.9 20.9 30.6

Jul 1994

34.3 44.4 21.1 30.6

Aug 1994

34.8 45.0 21.6 30.6

Sep 1994

35.2 45.8 21.4 30.6

Oct 1994

35.3 46.8 21.3 30.6

Nov 1994

35.5 48.5 21.9 30.8

Dec 1994

35.5 48.6 22.3 30.8

Jan 1995

36.0 49.7 23.3 35.2

Feb 1995

36.6 50.6 23.9 35.7

Mar 1995

37.0 51.4 24.3 35.7

Apr 1995

37.5 52.1 25.0 36.1

May 1995

37.7 52.4 25.3 36.1

Jun 1995

38.0 53.2 25.7 36.1

Jul 1995

38.0 53.8 25.7 36.1

Aug 1995

38.4 54.2 25.5 36.7

Sep 1995

38.6 54.8 25.6 36.8

Oct 1995

39.1 55.7 25.7 36.8

Nov 1995

39.0 56.2 25.8 36.8

Dec 1995

38.9 56.6 26.1 36.8

Jan 1996

39.7 58.1 26.7 40.3

Feb 1996

40.2 59.2 26.6 40.7

Mar 1996

40.9 59.6 26.8 40.7

Apr 1996

41.4 60.0 27.8 40.7

May 1996

41.7 60.2 28.5 40.7

Jun 1996

41.8 60.8 28.4 40.7

Jul 1996

42.1 61.4 28.4 40.7

Aug 1996

42.4 62.1 28.7 40.7

Sep 1996

42.8 62.5 28.6 40.8

Oct 1996

43.3 62.8 28.4 40.8

Nov 1996

43.5 63.5 28.6 40.8

Dec 1996

43.5 64.0 29.5 40.8

Jan 1997

44.0 64.9 30.1 44.6

Feb 1997

44.4 66.8 28.9 44.8

Mar 1997

44.8 68.6 27.7 44.9

Apr 1997

45.0 69.4 27.4 45.0

May 1997

44.9 70.0 27.8 45.0

Jun 1997

45.1 70.1 27.6 45.0

Jul 1997

45.2 70.6 27.3 45.0

Aug 1997

45.5 71.3 27.6 45.0

Sep 1997

45.9 71.4 27.9 45.0

Oct 1997

46.2 71.4 28.2 45.0

Nov 1997

46.2 71.7 28.3 45.0

Dec 1997

46.0 72.3 27.2 45.0

Jan 1998

46.2 72.9 25.8 49.3

Feb 1998

46.5 73.9 25.4 49.4

Mar 1998

46.8 74.6 25.1 49.5

Apr 1998

47.1 75.7 25.3 49.4

May 1998

47.3 76.1 25.5 49.4

Jun 1998

47.5 76.7 25.2 49.5

Jul 1998

47.7 77.0 25.3 49.5

Aug 1998

47.9 77.7 24.6 49.5

Sep 1998

48.1 77.9 24.2 49.5

Oct 1998

48.4 78.1 24.4 49.5

Nov 1998

48.4 78.6 24.0 49.5

Dec 1998

48.3 79.1 23.2 51.8

Jan 1999

48.7 79.5 23.3 53.1

Feb 1999

48.9 81.2 22.7 53.1

Mar 1999

49.3 81.5 23.0 53.4

Apr 1999

50.4 81.5 24.0 53.7

May 1999

50.4 81.3 25.1 53.7

Jun 1999

50.4 82.1 25.6 53.8

Jul 1999

50.9 82.8 26.1 53.8

Aug 1999

51.2 84.2 27.3 53.8

Sep 1999

51.9 83.9 28.4 53.8

Oct 1999

52.2 84.2 28.1 53.8

Nov 1999

52.3 84.7 28.7 53.8

Dec 1999

52.3 85.1 28.2 56.2

Jan 2000

52.8 85.5 28.7 57.2

Feb 2000

53.7 86.4 30.2 57.8

Mar 2000

54.9 87.0 31.2 57.8

Apr 2000

55.0 87.1 31.1 57.8

May 2000

55.2 87.2 32.0 57.8

Jun 2000

56.0 87.6 34.2 57.8

Jul 2000

56.4 87.8 34.1 57.8

Aug 2000

56.4 88.4 33.3 57.8

Sep 2000

57.2 88.6 35.1 57.8

Oct 2000

57.5 89.2 35.8 57.8

Nov 2000

57.6 89.5 35.4 57.8

Dec 2000

57.5 89.8 36.6 63.2

Jan 2001

58.5 90.7 40.4 64.0

Feb 2001

59.1 91.3 37.8 64.8

Mar 2001

59.5 92.1 36.3 64.8

Apr 2001

60.1 92.9 36.8 63.9

May 2001

60.8 93.7 37.2 63.9

Jun 2001

61.1 94.8 35.9 63.9

Jul 2001

60.6 95.0 33.8 63.9

Aug 2001

60.6 95.5 33.8 63.4

Sep 2001

61.4 96.2 33.7 63.4

Oct 2001

60.8 96.7 30.7 63.4

Nov 2001

60.5 97.6 30.2 63.4

Dec 2001

59.9 98.3 28.5 67.3

Jan 2002

60.3 99.5 28.9 68.6

Feb 2002

60.9 101.6 28.8 69.7

Mar 2002

61.8 102.9 30.2 69.6

Apr 2002

62.7 104.0 31.2 69.7

May 2002

62.7 104.5 31.2 69.7

Jun 2002

62.8 104.6 31.3 69.7

Jul 2002

63.0 104.8 31.6 69.7

Aug 2002

63.5 104.4 31.9 69.7

Sep 2002

63.8 104.8 32.7 69.7

Oct 2002

64.1 105.4 33.6 69.7

Nov 2002

64.1 106.0 33.5 69.7

Dec 2002

63.7 106.8 33.3 76.0

Jan 2003

64.4 108.3 35.7 78.3

Feb 2003

65.7 109.5 38.0 77.4

Mar 2003

66.7 110.2 41.6 77.6

Apr 2003

66.3 110.8 37.2 77.6

May 2003

66.1 110.9 37.1 77.6

Jun 2003

66.2 112.2 38.4 77.6

Jul 2003

66.4 112.4 38.1 77.6

Aug 2003

67.1 112.7 38.4 77.6

Sep 2003

67.6 113.7 38.9 77.6

Oct 2003

67.4 114.5 39.7 77.6

Nov 2003

67.0 115.0 39.3 77.8

Dec 2003

66.8 115.4 39.9 84.5

Jan 2004

67.6 117.2 41.8 84.6

Feb 2004

68.5 119.6 42.5 84.8

Mar 2004

69.6 120.5 43.5 84.8

Apr 2004

70.1 121.6 45.2 84.8

May 2004

71.1 121.7 47.2 84.8

Jun 2004

71.7 121.5 47.6 84.8

Jul 2004

71.4 121.7 47.8 85.1

Aug 2004

71.5 122.1 48.4 85.1

Sep 2004

71.9 122.2 48.1 85.1

Oct 2004

72.8 122.2 50.5 85.1

Nov 2004

72.9 122.6 51.9 85.1

Dec 2004

72.2 123.2 50.7 93.6

Jan 2005

72.6 123.7 51.4 95.4

Feb 2005

73.6 125.6 52.1 95.6

Mar 2005

74.9 126.3 54.2 95.6

Apr 2005

76.1 128.0 55.5 95.6

May 2005

75.9 128.7 54.8 94.3

Jun 2005

76.0 128.4 54.8 94.0

Jul 2005

76.8 129.0 56.8 94.0

Aug 2005

77.7 129.6 58.1 94.1

Sep 2005

79.9 130.0 62.7 94.0

Oct 2005

80.3 130.7 66.7 94.0

Nov 2005

78.8 132.3 64.2 104.1

Dec 2005

78.1 133.5 63.5 105.2

Jan 2006

79.5 134.6 64.8 105.2

Feb 2006

79.8 135.7 62.3 105.5

Mar 2006

80.8 136.8 62.7 105.8

Apr 2006

82.4 137.9 64.8 105.9

May 2006

83.3 140.6 66.3 105.9

Jun 2006

83.6 141.4 66.6 106.6

Jul 2006

84.2 142.0 67.3 105.9

Aug 2006

84.5 142.0 68.4 105.9

Sep 2006

83.6 142.7 65.9 105.9

Oct 2006

82.6 143.4 62.7 115.4

Nov 2006

82.4 144.6 65.1 114.4

Dec 2006

82.6 144.9 66.1 114.9

Jan 2007

83.2 146.5 64.5 115.2

Feb 2007

84.2 148.5 67.3 115.2

Mar 2007

85.8 149.5 69.8 115.3

Apr 2007

87.0 151.2 71.9 115.3

May 2007

88.2 152.8 73.8 115.3

Jun 2007

88.6 152.4 74.3 115.3

Jul 2007

88.5 153.0 75.6 115.3

Aug 2007

88.2 154.3 72.9 115.3

Sep 2007

88.7 154.8 74.0 115.3

Oct 2007

89.1 155.3 75.2 124.4

Nov 2007

90.2 156.1 79.5 124.8

Dec 2007

90.1 156.6 79.1 125.2

Jan 2008

91.0 158.3 81.5 125.3

Feb 2008

91.6 159.7 83.2 125.3

Mar 2008

93.2 161.4 88.5 125.3

Apr 2008

94.4 163.7 91.5 125.7

May 2008

96.0 165.1 97.2 126.1

Jun 2008

98.0 165.4 101.1 127.2

Jul 2008

99.1 166.1 106.1 127.1

Aug 2008

98.3 167.1 99.6 127.3

Sep 2008

98.0 168.3 97.5 127.2

Oct 2008

96.0 168.6 87.0 147.5

Nov 2008

92.2 170.4 77.3 148.4

Dec 2008

90.3 170.4 71.4 148.6

Jan 2009

91.1 171.5 71.7 148.9

Feb 2009

92.0 172.4 69.8 148.9

Mar 2009

92.5 173.1 68.6 148.9

Apr 2009

93.0 175.1 69.6 148.9

May 2009

93.5 175.3 71.3 148.9

Jun 2009

95.2 176.3 74.6 148.9

Jul 2009

94.9 176.1 73.0 148.9

Aug 2009

95.3 176.9 75.5 148.9

Sep 2009

95.4 177.0 74.6 148.9

Oct 2009

95.6 177.7 75.7 157.2

Nov 2009

95.8 178.3 77.9 157.3

Dec 2009

95.4 178.6 78.6 157.5

Jan 2010

96.1 179.2 82.4 157.5

Feb 2010

96.1 180.1 81.5 157.5

Mar 2010

97.0 180.5 83.9 157.5

Apr 2010

97.3 180.6 85.0 157.5

May 2010

97.4 181.5 85.4 157.5

Jun 2010

97.3 181.6 84.1 157.5

Jul 2010

97.3 182.1 84.7 157.6

Aug 2010

97.6 182.1 85.5 157.6

Sep 2010

97.7 183.1 85.5 157.3

Oct 2010

97.9 184.1 87.2 165.9

Nov 2010

98.0 184.7 88.3 165.8

Dec 2010

98.4 184.6 90.3 165.7

Jan 2011

99.3 185.0 93.3 166.0

Feb 2011

100.3 186.0 96.4 166.0

Mar 2011

102.2 186.0 99.8 166.5

Apr 2011

103.5 186.8 103.7 166.5

May 2011

104.5 187.7 104.7 166.5

Jun 2011

104.3 188.2 104.5 166.5

Jul 2011

104.5 188.4 105.2 166.5

Aug 2011

105.0 189.3 103.8 166.5

Sep 2011

105.3 189.8 104.3 166.5

Oct 2011

104.9 190.2 101.7 178.4

Nov 2011

104.7 190.7 102.0 178.3

Dec 2011

104.2 191.1 100.4 178.6

Jan 2012

105.1 192.0 101.3 178.6

Feb 2012

106.0 193.0 102.2 178.6

Mar 2012

107.6 191.4 104.8 178.6

Apr 2012

108.2 192.4 104.3 178.6

May 2012

108.0 192.5 102.5 178.6

Jun 2012

107.7 192.6 100.4 178.6

Jul 2012

107.3 193.7 100.7 178.6

Aug 2012

108.5 193.8 103.3 178.6

Sep 2012

109.4 193.8 105.0 178.6

Oct 2012

109.3 195.4 104.1 190.9

Nov 2012

108.3 197.3 102.4 191.9

Dec 2012

107.8 197.4 102.1 192.1

Jan 2013

108.4 199.2 103.1 192.5

Feb 2013

110.1 200.1 104.9 192.5

Mar 2013

110.7 199.3 104.6 192.5

Apr 2013

110.4 199.5 104.1 192.5

May 2013

110.8 201.0 104.7 192.5

Jun 2013

111.3 201.7 104.9 192.5

Jul 2013

111.4 201.7 105.0 192.5

Aug 2013

111.7 202.4 104.8 192.5

Sep 2013

111.9 202.9 104.5 192.5

Oct 2013

111.4 202.8 103.1 197.2

Nov 2013

110.9 204.1 101.8 197.6

Dec 2013

110.9 205.0 102.6 197.7

Jan 2014

111.7 205.6 104.4 202.1

Feb 2014

112.5 205.0 106.3 202.1

Mar 2014

113.8 206.1 107.6 202.1

Apr 2014

114.5 206.5 108.9 202.1

May 2014

115.3 207.2 108.6 202.1

Jun 2014

115.7 206.6 108.9 202.1

Jul 2014

115.6 207.1 108.6 201.5

Aug 2014

115.3 207.3 107.6 201.5

Sep 2014

115.4 207.5 107.0 201.5

Oct 2014

114.9 208.5 104.0 205.7

Nov 2014

113.7 208.8 101.5 205.9

Dec 2014

112.5 208.8 97.6 206.5

Jan 2015

111.5 209.7 92.6 211.4

Feb 2015

112.4 210.2 91.7 211.5

Mar 2015

113.7 210.6 92.1 211.5

Apr 2015

114.1 212.4 91.5 211.5

May 2015

115.2 212.3 94.0 211.5

Jun 2015

116.0 212.6 95.4 211.4

Jul 2015

116.0 213.1 94.5 211.4

Aug 2015

115.7 215.5 92.5 211.4

Sep 2015

115.3 215.9 89.7 211.4

Oct 2015

115.2 217.8 88.1 216.3

Nov 2015

114.8 217.8 86.3 216.3

Dec 2015

114.0 216.1 84.1 216.6

Jan 2016

114.4 216.9 83.1 221.7

Feb 2016

114.6 217.4 81.8 221.7

Mar 2016

115.5 217.8 82.6 221.7

Apr 2016

116.5 217.7 83.8 221.7

May 2016

117.4 218.6 85.9 221.7

Jun 2016

118.1 219.2 88.2 221.7

Jul 2016

117.8 219.7 88.3 221.7

Aug 2016

118.0 220.1 87.2 221.7

Sep 2016

118.5 220.9 87.5 221.7

Oct 2016

118.8 221.3 87.3 229.1

Nov 2016

118.4 221.8 86.9 229.1

Dec 2016

118.5 221.9 88.8 229.4

Jan 2017

119.8 222.2 91.3 229.9

Feb 2017

120.5 223.8 92.2 230.2

Mar 2017

120.6 223.8 92.1 230.0

Apr 2017

121.3 224.8 93.6 230.0

May 2017

121.5 225.2 93.4 230.0

Jun 2017

121.7 225.3 94.3(p) 230.2(p)

Jul 2017

121.5 225.8 94.0(p) 230.0(p)

Aug 2017

122.2 227.1 94.3(p) 230.0(p)

Sep 2017

123.4 227.1 95.1(p) 230.0(p)
Footnotes:

(p) preliminary

From December 1986 to September 2017, producer prices for burial caskets increased more than twice as fast as producer prices for all commodities. Prices for burial caskets rose 230.0 percent from December 1986 to September 2017, while producer prices for all commodities increased 95.1 percent.

These data are from the Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Indexes programs. The data are not seasonally adjusted. The Consumer Price Index measures the average change over time in prices for a market basket of consumer goods and services. Producer Price Indexes measure the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their goods, services, and construction.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, The rising cost of dying, 1986–2017 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/the-rising-cost-of-dying-1986-2017.htm (visited March 19, 2024).

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