Despite Recession, Funeral Industry Grows

While the recession is killing off many companies, the funeral industry is alive and kicking.

The national Funeral Directors Association says funeral services are an $11 billion dollar industry in the United States.  Most projections say that business will only grow in the coming years as baby boomers begin to die off.  The association predicts the US death rate will increase from 8 people per thousand in 2008 to 9.3 per thousand in 2040.  A recent study suggested that deaths of Korean and Vietnam war veterans will increase as deaths of World War II veterans shrink from the current rate of 2,000 per day.

“The recession doesn’t affect the funeral business,” said Patrick Bryant, owner of Bryant Funeral Home and Crematory in Alliance, North Carolina. “The death bell is going to ring whether it is Sunday or a holiday.”

But that does not mean that people aren’t cutting back.  The recession has meant that many people are spending less on extras like flowers, family cars, and printed programs.  And more and more people are looking into cremation, a less costly option than burial.

Interested in becoming a funeral director?  Find a job in the industry at Employment Crossing.