It’s more expensive to die in California than almost any other state, study says. How much?
It’s no secret that living in California is costly, but what about dying?
A new Forbes report shows that California is one of the most expensive states to die in, calculating funeral and end-of-life medical costs.
Here’s how much dying costs in California, on average, and how the number compares to other states, according to Forbes Advisor:
Funeral costs, medical expenses related to death in California
Forbes Advisor analyzed funeral costs and end-of-life medical expenses to calculate the total cost of dying in all 50 states. The personal finance website used data from sources including the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The national average cost of viewing and cremation is $7,736.24, according to Forbes Advisor.
California’s cost is above the national average by $2,355.36, with families paying $10,091.60 on average to view and cremate their loved ones.
While the exact cost depends on factors like the type of funeral and whether there will be a viewing, Forbes Advisor considered the cost of a funeral with a viewing and cremation because cremation is a more popular option than burial, the study said, citing NFDA data.
The average end-of-life medical cost in California is $17,336.79, bringing death-related expenses in the state to an average of $27,428.40. The national average total cost of dying is $24,204, according to the report.
End-of-life medical costs can include hospice care provided on an outpatient basis, and inpatient care provided in hospitals. Examples of specific expenses are ambulance rides, medications and routine or emergency doctor services.
How California compares to other states
California ranked sixth out of the 50 states for expensive places to die, according to Forbes Advisor.
It was topped only by Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Washington, who earned the first through fifth places, respectively.
Kentucky is the cheapest state in which to die, according to Forbes Advisor, with the other lowest-cost states being Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri. It costs $20,366.34 on average to die in Kentucky, $3,837.66 less than the national average.
Here are the 10 most expensive states to die in, according to Forbes Advisor, with the total average cost:
Alaska- $33,742.17
Hawaii- $32,722.53
Massachusetts- $29,481.55
New Hampshire- $28,279.05
Washington- $28,156.20
California- $27,428.40
New York- $26,413.52
Connecticut- $26,360.44
Vermont- $25,925.21
Rhode Island- $25,790.60
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