Summary 

  • The median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is about $8,300, according to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). 
  • The median cost of a funeral with cremation is around $6,280, based on the NFDA’s 2024 national study. 
  • Funeral costs vary depending on service choices, merchandise selections, and the level of personalization a family prefers. 
  • Understanding national averages helps families in Marietta make informed decisions when planning a meaningful tribute. 


How Much Does a Funeral Cost? 

Families in Marietta, Georgia, often wonder what influences the cost of a funeral and how to plan in a way that feels both meaningful and manageable. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is around $8,300, while a funeral with cremation averages about $6,280. These national figures, accurate as of 2025, provide a helpful starting point when thinking about funeral planning. 


Funeral costs vary because each family’s needs, traditions, and preferences are unique. A traditional funeral with a viewing, ceremony, and burial may include multiple elements that affect the total cost. A funeral followed by cremation typically involves many of the same professional services but may differ in merchandise choices or final placement decisions. 


Other factors often influencing costs include transportation needs, use of the funeral home’s facilities, and the level of personalization a family prefers. It is also important to remember that NFDA national medians do not include cemetery expenses, which vary by location and are usually billed separately. 


Most funeral services typically include professional guidance from the funeral director and staff, care of the deceased, use of facilities for visitations or ceremonies, and transportation. Families may select merchandise—such as caskets, urns, or memorial items—based on their loved one’s preferences and the type of service they choose. 


Many families find that planning ahead offers peace of mind. Understanding general cost structures and available options can make it easier to make thoughtful decisions and create a tribute that honors a loved one’s life. 


Frequently Asked Questions 

What factors influence the total cost of a funeral? 


Funeral costs often depend on the type of service, merchandise selections, and the level of personalization a family chooses. National averages provide a useful frame of reference when planning. 


Are cemetery costs included in national funeral averages? 


No. Cemetery costs—such as plots, markers, and opening and closing fees—are generally not included in NFDA national averages and are typically billed separately. 


Does choosing cremation always cost less than burial? 


Not necessarily. While the median cost for a funeral with cremation is typically lower, the overall cost depends on the specific services and merchandise a family selects. 



Written for West Cobb Funeral Home and Crematory, proudly serving families in Marietta with compassion and care. 



About West Cobb Funeral Home and Crematory 

Families in Marietta, Georgia, can turn to West Cobb Funeral Home and Crematory for caring and professional guidance when planning ahead. Located at 2480 Macland Rd., Marietta, GA 30064, their dedicated staff can be reached at (770) 419-9234 to answer questions about funeral planning and available options. 



www.westcobbfuneralhome.com

Elements of a Great Obituary

By West Cobb Admin • February 11, 2025
Some obituaries are simply informative. They let the neighborhood know when someone in their community has passed, inform them about when and where the funeral will be held, and detail the decedent’s family who will be grieving their loved one. These are the most basic versions of an obituary. And while there’s nothing wrong with writing one that’s on the plainer side, there’s a reason why these aren’t the obituaries that go viral.

Organ Donation: What is the Process?

By West Cobb Admin • February 6, 2025
We know that organ donation has the power to give new life to people in need, but just how does it work? The process starts when you sign up, but the actual donation portion happens after you die — and it has to happen fast. So, what does organ donation look like?

Why Do People Have a Viewing or Open Casket?

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
An honest question. The idea of seeing a loved one’s body put on display for all to see might be different to some, but a major comfort to others as they say goodbye and begin to let go. An open casket does help mourners accept the reality that their loved one has moved on and will help them to do so as well.

Honoring Military Heroes on Veterans Day

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
When we celebrate Veterans Day, we’re saying thank you to those who stood as our protectors. So, be sure to thank a veteran on Veterans Day, and thank those who sacrificed alongside them, like their families. The smallest actions, such as spending time sitting down with a veteran in a nursing home, can mean the most to these heroes.

Organ Donation: Who Can Donate?

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
When you opt to become an organ donor, you may save a life. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, over 106,000 people are currently awaiting donations. But far more people are awaiting transplants than there are donors. Every nine minutes, another person is added to that waiting list.

What is a Desairologist?

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
A funeral should always be about the loved one who has passed. It’s a time for celebrating their life and giving their friends and family a chance to say goodbye and grieve together. That’s why professionals in the funeral space, like funeral directors or advanced planning specialists, work in the background, making sure that the focus is away from them and instead on the decedent.

Mother’s Day

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
Mother’s Day is celebrated in 40 countries around the world. But, getting it started was not a slam dunk. Having a day just for moms was the brainchild of one Anna Jarvis, an American peace activist. When Anna’s mother died in 1905, she began lobbying the United States Congress to designate a single day as Mother’s Day. Although she was never successful with Congress, by 1911 all the states in the United States had embraced the concept of Mother’s Day. Finally, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making the second Sunday in May officially Mother’s Day.

The Value of a Cemetery

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
When you walk into a cemetery everything changes. The pace changes, you become aware of your surroundings, you feel the sun on your face, you smell the clean air, you walk slower. The sounds change, you hear the bird song, you talk softer. You feel calmer. There is no place quite like a cemetery. Be it an old cemetery or a newer one, like the nave of a church, cemeteries have that feeling. They have soul.

Choosing Cemetery Property

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
Regardless of the type of disposition (burial or cremation), choosing a “final resting place” is an integral part of laying a loved one to rest. The cemetery is the most commonly selected location for a loved one to rest in perpetuity. Whether you are making this decision for yourself in advance of need or deciding for a family member who has died, you should know there are options available that will support your individual values.

Honoring a Fallen Soldier on Memorial Day

By West Cobb Admin • November 22, 2024
Memorial Day is a time to reflect and give thanks to the people who gave their lives to ensure your freedoms today. It’s a day to honor lost lives and support the loved ones those soldiers left behind. They all have sacrificed much. It’s important that we do what we can to give back.