CANA Annual Statistics Report Featuring final 2016 data, newly released 2017 data, and projections to 2022

©CANA, 2018

United States and Canadian Cremation Trends

IntroductionSince 1913, CANA has been collecting death and cremation data. Using figures primarily obtained through state and provincial governments in the United States and Canada, CANA has determined the annual percentage of cremations to deaths and forecasts future cremation percentages. For detailed information about our methodology, contact info@cremationassociation.org.

40% 60%

80%

100%

50%

Cre

mat

ion

rate

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%

2017 U.S.cremation rate

20%

1994

2010

starting point

5%

1972

RAPID GROWTH

ACCELERATION

LIGHTHOUSE

DECELERATION

PLATEAU

Cremation Growth Phases Last year, CANA introduced new demographic data exploring various aspects of the growth rate of cremation (The Cremationist, v. 53, no. 2). When the cremation growth rate over time ismeasured, an interesting pattern develops. It can take decades forthe cremation rate to hit 5%. In the U.S. it took nearly 100 yearsfrom the legalization of cremation in 1876 for the rate to reach5% in 1972. After that, the growth rate is more predictable. Thestatistical model suggests the following pattern in growth rate:

• Starting Point: 5%• LighthousePeriod,5-20%•10to25years• AccelerationPeriod,20-40%•8to18years• RapidGrowthPeriod,40-60%•8to18years• DecelerationPeriod,60-80%•10to20years• PlateauPeriod•80-100%•decades

Cremation Growth Rate in the U.S.

The 2017 U.S. cremation rate was 51.6%. The majority of states are currently in the Rapid Growth phase. The cremation growth rate is reaching its peak and will begin to slow within a decade—but cremation rates will continue to grow across the country. While Canadian rates followed a slightly different trajectory, both countries experienced a similar trend.

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Percentages of Cremations in the States/Provinces for 2013 and 2017

2013 2017

2013 2017

Annual Growth Rate

The annual growth rate is the difference between the yearly percentages of deaths cremated and averaged over a five-year period. The tables below show the rates for the United States and Canada from 2002 through 2017. Further, these tables illustrate that the cremation rate is increasing exponentially, with the current average growth at 1.65% annually in the U.S. and 2.15% in Canada.

Annual Growth Rate – Five Year Average USA

Year % Cremated

2002 28.2%

2007 34.4%

2012 43.3%

2017 51.6%

% Change 2002 - 2007 6.2%

% Change 2007 - 2012 8.9%

% Change 2012 - 2017 8.2%

Annual Growth Rate per year over 2012-2017 1.65%

Annual Growth Rate – Five Year Average Canada

Year % Cremated

2002 48.8%

2007 56.6%

2012 59.7%

2017 70.5%

% Change 2002 - 2007 7.8%

% Change 2007 - 2012 3.1%

% Change 2012 - 2017 10.7%

Annual Growth Rate per year over 2012-2017 2.15%

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Top 10 States for Cremations – 2016The table below shows the 10 states with the highest number of cremations in 2016. Note that the rank order is defined from highest as 1 to lowest as 51. The number in parentheses shows the rank order by percentage of that state.

Top 10 ranked by number of cremationsState Cremations % Cremations (Rank)

California 168,393 64.2% (14)

Florida 129,768 64.9% (13)

Texas 82,505 42.3% (39)

New York 67,206 43.3% (37)

Pennsylvania 63,681 48.0% (25)

Ohio 55,230 46.2% (29)

Michigan 52,792 56.4% (19)

Illinois 47,654 44.5% (32)

Washington 41,659 77.3% (1)

North Carolina 40,784 44.6% (31)

The table below shows the 10 states with the highest percentage of cremations in 2016. Note that the rank order is defined from highest as 1 to lowest as 51. The number in parentheses shows the rank order by the total number of cremations in that state.

Top 10 ranked by percent of cremations

State % Cremations Cremations (Rank)

Washington 77.3% 41,659 (9)

Nevada 76.9% 19,015 (25)

Oregon 75.8% 27,243 (17)

Maine 74.4% 10,472 (35)

Montana 73.6% 7,061 (42)

Hawaii 72.5% 8,012 (39)

New Hampshire 71.6% 8,528 (37)

Wyoming 71.3% 3,100 (48)

Colorado 70.2% 26,786 (18)

Vermont 69.7% 4,035 (46)

Bottom Five States for Cremations – 2016The table below shows the bottom five states (in rank order) with the lowest number of cremations in 2016. Note that the rank order is defined from lowest as 1 to highest as 51. The number in parentheses shows the rank order by the percentage of that state.

Bottom five ranked by number of cremations

State Cremations % Cremations (Rank)

Dist. Of Columbia 2,805 46.3% (28)

North Dakota 2,892 42.5% (38)

Alaska 3,030 67.0% (12)

Wyoming 3,100 71.3% (8)

South Dakota 3,186 40.1% (43)

The table below shows the bottom five states (in rank order) and the percentage of deaths resulting in cremations with the lowest percentages of cremations in 2016. Note that the rank order is defined from lowest as 1 to highest as 51. The number in parentheses shows the rank order by the total number of cremations in that state.

Bottom five ranked by percent of cremations

State % Cremations Cremations/Rank

Mississippi 22.5% 6,998 (43)

Alabama 27.7% 14,233 (28)

Kentucky 29.5% 14,050 (30)

Louisiana 31.6% 13,981 (31)

Tennessee 33.1% 23,696 (22)

Top 10 States for Growth in CremationsThe table below shows the top 10 states with the highest growth in the number of cremations from 2012 to 2016.

Top 10 highest growth by number of cremations

State Increase in # of Cremations

Increase in % of Cremations

Rank by % growth

California 33,180 8.5% 8

Florida 21,786 3.5% 47

Texas 20,496 6.7% 28

New York 13,199 6.0% 31

Pennsylvania 13,052 7.6% 20

North Carolina 11,921 9.8% 3

Ohio 11,135 7.0% 25

Illinois 10,437 8.2% 14

Georgia 9,259 8.1% 15

Michigan 7,203 5.7% 36

The table below shows the top 10 states with the highest growth in the percentage of cremations from 2012 to 2016.

Top 10 highest growth by percentage of cremations

State Increase in % of Cremations

Increase in # of Cremations

Rank by # growth

Iowa 13.4% 4,315 27

Oklahoma 11.9% 5,494 16

North Carolina 9.8% 11,921 6

North Dakota 9.5% 674 48

Utah 9.1% 4,579 22

Kansas 9.1% 2,803 32

West Virginia 8.8% 2,095 36

California 8.5% 33,180 1

Nebraska 8.3% 1,589 39

Minnesota 8.3% 5,271 18

Bold indicates predicted numbers; final data not yet available.

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