Most Expensive States to Die In

There are only two guarantees in life: death and taxes. We’d like to propose a third: expensive after-death service. The funeral industry has grown by 1.5% yearly since 2018, and in 2023, it had gross revenue of $19.5 billion.

With nearly 2.4 million funerals every year, more and more Americans are putting away extra money to pay for their funeral arrangements as costs continue to rise.

Using data from the National Funeral Directors Association and The Tax Foundation, we wanted to find out which states are the most expensive to die in.

To figure this out, we considered the following data points:

• Average Funeral Costs by State
• Average Estate Taxes by State
• Average Probate Costs by State

Most Expensive States to Die In

Across the United States, funeral costs have skyrocketed almost twice as fast as consumer prices for all items. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “from December 1986 to September 2017, funeral expenses rose 227.1 percent.”

The cost of dying has increased so much that families have begun turning to crowd-sourcing as a way to get the money they need to lay their loved ones to rest.

Between the service, casket, funeral fees, and a couple additional bills, most people cannot afford an unexpected $7k – $8K bill after their loved one has passed away.

As of 2023, you might be surprised at the most expensive funeral costs by state: Hawaii, California, Oregon, New York, and Massachusetts. The average funeral costs for these states grew to over $10,000.

These five states also account for the highest average cremation costs

Hawaii and Washington have the highest estate tax at 20%, while Kentucky and New Jersey have an inheritance tax of 16%.

Cheapest States to Die In

When it comes to the cheapest states to die in, look south. All five states with the lowest funeral costs reside below the Mason-Dixon Line, with prices averaging $4,000 less than their northern counterparts.

The cheapest state to die in is Mississippi, with an average funeral cost of $6,568 with 0% estate tax and no probate fees. The remaining four least expensive states are Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri, with funeral costs averaging below $7,000.

None of these states have an estate, inheritance, or probate tax, meaning it’s much cheaper to die in one of these states than the rest of the country.

Leave Nothing Unsaid with PostScript

Funeral costs and estate taxes are the financial pain that comes with death, but don’t ignore the emotional pain of leaving something unsaid. With PostScript, we allow you to decide your legacy by leaving messages and delivering gifts after you’ve passed. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you with PostScript.