Morgantown is one of the few growing communities in West Virginia — home to WVU and a regional medical hub at Ruby Memorial Hospital. It's also one of the more expensive places in the state for funeral services, partly because there are fewer funeral homes competing for your business compared to larger cities like Charleston or Huntington. Here's what to expect.
Prices are estimates based on Morgantown-area funeral home data. Your costs will vary. Always request an itemized price list.
Morgantown Funeral Cost Breakdown
Here's what each component of a traditional burial costs in the Morgantown area:
| Service or Item | Morgantown Avg. | National Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Basic services fee | $2,400 | $2,500 |
| Embalming | $800 | $775 |
| Other body preparation | $285 | $275 |
| Viewing / visitation | $475 | $450 |
| Funeral ceremony | $540 | $500 |
| Hearse | $350 | $350 |
| Service vehicle | $200 | $200 |
| Basic casket | $1,750 | $2,500 |
| Funeral home subtotal | $6,800 | $7,848 |
| Cemetery plot | $1,200 | $1,500 |
| Burial vault | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Headstone | $1,000 – $3,000 | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Total estimated cost | $9,500 – $12,500 | $10,848 – $12,848 |
Morgantown is slightly more expensive than Charleston ($6,526) and Huntington ($5,960) for the funeral home portion. The higher prices reflect a smaller market with fewer competing providers. That said, Morgantown is still below the national average, and there are ways to save — especially if you compare prices or consider cremation.
Cremation Costs in Morgantown
Here's what the different cremation options cost in Morgantown:
Direct Cremation
Cremation only — no service, no viewing. Prices vary significantly between Morgantown providers. Compare quotes.
Cremation with Memorial
Memorial service followed by cremation. No viewing of the body.
Full-Service Cremation
Traditional funeral with viewing, followed by cremation. Includes embalming and rental casket.
Price range is wider in Morgantown than in other WV cities — some providers charge $2,860 for direct cremation while others offer it for under $1,500. This makes comparison shopping especially important here. One call could save you $1,000+.
Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) in Morgantown
Morgantown is one of the few places in West Virginia where alkaline hydrolysis — also called water cremation or aquamation — is available. Smith Funeral & Cremation Care offers this option, making it one of the first providers in the state since WV legalized the process in 2022.
Water cremation uses water and an alkaline solution instead of flame. It produces about 30% more remains than traditional cremation and is considered more environmentally friendly. Ask Smith Funeral & Cremation Care for pricing.
Funeral Homes in Morgantown
Morgantown has fewer funeral homes than Charleston or Huntington, but the providers here offer a full range of services including some options — like water cremation — that aren't available elsewhere in WV:
Smith Funeral & Cremation Care
108 Holland Ave, Morgantown
Full-service, offers alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation), green cremation, pet cremation, veteran services, at-need financing. One of the most comprehensive providers in northern WV.
Hastings Funeral Home / Omega Crematory
153 Spruce St, Morgantown
On-site crematory (Omega Crematory). Traditional burial from $5,740, direct cremation from $2,860.
McCulla Funeral Home
Morgantown
Family-owned, traditional services
Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home
Morgantown
Established local provider
Dering's Funeral Home
Morgantown
Traditional funeral services
Bolyard Funeral Home
Morgantown
Serving the greater Morgantown area
Carl B. Williams Funeral Home
Morgantown
Traditional services
Morgan Funeral Home & Crematory
Reedsville (15 min south of Morgantown)
On-site crematory, locally owned and operated, also offers pet cremation
With fewer options in Morgantown, price competition is less intense than in Charleston or Huntington. Getting quotes from all available providers — including Morgan Funeral Home in nearby Reedsville — is important here.
Morgantown's Unique Situation
A few factors make funeral planning in Morgantown different from the rest of WV:
Morgantown's population swells during the academic year. When a WVU student or faculty member dies, families often face the decision of whether to use a local funeral home or transport the body home. Transportation costs range from $500 to $2,000+ depending on distance.
As WV's largest hospital and only Level 1 trauma center, Ruby Memorial serves patients from across the state. Families of patients who pass away here may not be familiar with local funeral homes. If you're in this situation, take time to compare options — you are not obligated to use any funeral home recommended by the hospital.
Morgantown is about 75 miles from Pittsburgh, PA. Some families with connections to both areas choose Pittsburgh-area funeral homes, though cross-state transportation adds cost and complexity.
Monongalia County is one of the few WV counties that's growing. As the area's population increases, additional funeral service providers may enter the market, which would increase competition and potentially lower prices.
How Morgantown Compares to Other WV Cities
| City | Avg. Burial | Direct Cremation | Funeral Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown | $6,800 | $1,400 | 8+ |
| Charleston | $6,526 | $1,269 | 12+ |
| Huntington | $5,960 | $1,200 | 14+ |
| Parkersburg | $6,300 | $1,250 | 5+ |
| Wheeling | $6,500 | $1,300 | 6+ |
| WV state average | $8,074 | $2,289 | — |
| National average | $8,300 | $2,500 | — |
Morgantown is the most expensive of WV's five largest cities for funeral services, but still significantly cheaper than the state and national averages. The price gap is primarily driven by having fewer funeral homes — less competition means less downward pressure on prices.
5 Ways to Save on Funeral Costs in Morgantown
- 1. Get quotes from every provider — with only 8 options, you can call all of them in an afternoon. Direct cremation pricing ranges from $1,400 to $2,860 in Morgantown — that's a $1,460 difference for the exact same service.
- 2. Consider Morgan Funeral Home in Reedsville — just 15 minutes south of Morgantown, Morgan Funeral Home has its own crematory and may offer lower prices than in-town providers. Don't limit your search to the Morgantown city limits.
- 3. Choose direct cremation — at $1,400, it's $5,400 less than a traditional burial. Hold a memorial gathering at a WVU chapel, your church, or a family home.
- 4. Ask about water cremation — if environmental impact matters to your family, alkaline hydrolysis at Smith Funeral & Cremation Care may be comparable in price to traditional cremation. It's worth asking.
- 5. Buy the casket online — Costco, Walmart, and Titan Casket sell caskets for $500 to $1,500. This can save $1,000 to $3,000 vs funeral home pricing. They must accept it under federal law.
Don't Leave Your Family With a $10,000 Bill
The average Morgantown funeral costs $6,800 to $12,500+ depending on your choices. Final expense insurance covers it — plans start at $30/month with no medical exam.
📞 Get a Free Quote: 1-855-321-3094Learn more about final expense insurance →
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Cemeteries in the Morgantown Area
- East Oak Grove Cemetery — Morgantown, historic community cemetery
- Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens — Westover, full-service memorial park
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery — south of Morgantown
- Pierpont Cemetery — near Pierpont, Monongalia County
- WV National Cemetery, Grafton — VA national cemetery (~90 miles), free burial for eligible veterans
- WV State Veterans Cemetery — contact WV Dept. of Veterans Assistance, (304) 558-3661
Cemetery plot costs in the Morgantown area range from $1,000 to $2,000. Most cemeteries require a burial vault ($1,200 to $1,800).