Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the number of cremations throughout the United States. Projections from the Cremation Association of North America forecast that by 2025 the national average will rise to 55.65%. This is in stark contrast to the 1960 average of 3.56%.

The accompanying chart represents the Top Five Reasons Why Americans Choose Cremation (according to the funeral industry-sponsored Wirthlin Report from 2006).