Welcome to the Oregon Cremation Alliance

Find Solace and Comfort in the Cremation Information we provide

The Oregon Cremation Alliance is a consumer information website. This site does not sell, arrange or perform cremation services. Our goal is to help you make informed and educated decisions when it comes to cremation services in Oregon and SW Washington.

As you may have discovered by now, finding straightforward, honest answers can be difficult. Everyone seems to attach “their own twist” to the whole concept of cremation and cremation services – usually to gain more profit. We can help you learn and understand how to get the answers you deserve.

The cost of cremation varies greatly

If you have been searching for cremation prices, you have probably been confused and frustrated with the results. For example, the price for simple cremation in Oregon ranges from just under $700 to over $3,000. This has little or nothing to do with the actual “cost of cremation” but rather how much the Funeral Service Establishment or Cremation Provider is “marking up” their services. The actual cost of the cremation remains fairly constant, depending on the crematory owner’s operation, including their policies, practices and the type of cremation equipment they operate.

The actual crematory

In Oregon, cremation facilities are licensed as “Crematories” by the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board . They may, or may not, have a direct connection to the Funeral Service Establishment that works with the consumer to arrange the cremation. They are always licensed separately by the Board whether there is a direct connection (such as mutual ownership) or not.

Many funeral service establishments do not own the cremation facility or have a direct relationship to it. They outsource this portion of their business to a third party. There are several “third party cremation businesses” in Oregon that only perform cremation services to licensed funeral establishments – the middlemen. Simple economics show that these businesses need to make a profit, in addition to the profit required by the funeral establishment. Therefore, generally speaking, funeral establishments that outsource cremation services to a third party will charge the consumer more for the final product of cremation. The irony here is that these same establishments, that charge the consumer more for cremation, may never have your loved one’s remains in their care or custody at any time. However, please note that this is NOT the only variable in the consumer’s overall cost of cremation services.

To learn more about why some providers charge more than others, click on Cremation Costs.