Princeton and Bluefield — just 10 miles apart in Mercer County — function as one funeral services market for southern WV families. With 7+ providers between the two cities, you have more options than most communities this size. Bluefield sits right on the Virginia border, which means some families here have cross-state decisions to make.
Prices are estimates based on Mercer County funeral home data. Your costs will vary. Always request an itemized price list.
Mercer County Funeral Cost Breakdown
| Service or Item | Princeton/Bluefield Avg. | National Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Basic services fee (funeral home overhead) | $2,050 | $2,500 |
| Embalming | $700 | $775 |
| Other body preparation (dressing, cosmetology) | $250 | $275 |
| Viewing / visitation | $400 | $450 |
| Funeral ceremony | $475 | $500 |
| Hearse | $300 | $350 |
| Service vehicle | $175 | $200 |
| Basic casket | $1,650 | $2,500 |
| Funeral home subtotal | $6,000 | $7,848 |
| Cemetery plot | $800 | $1,500 |
| Burial vault | $1,300 | $1,500 |
| Headstone | $1,000 – $3,000 | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Total estimated cost | $8,100 – $11,100 | $10,848 – $12,848 |
The Princeton-Bluefield area is among the most affordable in West Virginia for funeral services — 24% below the national average. Southern WV's lower cost of living keeps every line item below state and national benchmarks.
Cremation Costs in Princeton & Bluefield
Direct Cremation
Cremation only. Mercer Funeral Home in Bluefield operates the area's crematory.
Cremation with Memorial
Memorial service followed by cremation.
Full-Service Cremation
Traditional funeral with viewing, followed by cremation.
Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory in Bluefield operates the only crematory in Mercer County. Other funeral homes in the area outsource cremation there or to crematories in neighboring counties. For the most streamlined (and potentially cheapest) cremation process, contact Mercer directly.
Read our detailed cremation vs burial comparison →
Funeral Homes in Princeton & Bluefield
Princeton
Memorial Funeral Directory & Cremation Center
654 Athens Rd, Princeton
Founded 1930. Locally owned independent funeral home serving Mercer County for nearly a century.
Seaver Funeral Home & Cremation Service
1507 N Walker St, Princeton
Full-service with live streaming of services available via YouTube — a modern convenience for far-flung family members who can't travel to southern WV.
Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home
Princeton
Traditional funeral services
Fredeking Funeral Service
2565 Goodwyns Chapel Rd, Princeton
Serving the Princeton area
Roselawn Funeral Home and Cemetery
Princeton
Combined funeral home + cemetery since 1956. Features 13 gardens, 6 mausoleums, cremation niches, and private estates. Part of the Memorial Planning network.
Bluefield
Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory
Bluefield
Family-owned since 1921 — over 100 years of service. Operates the only crematory in Mercer County. The go-to provider for cremation in the Princeton-Bluefield area.
Cravens-Shires Funeral Home
Bluefield
Family-owned. Serves both southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia — important for families with roots on both sides of the border.
Seven providers in a community this size means real competition. Call at least 3 and compare itemized pricing.
The Virginia Border
Bluefield, WV and Bluefield, VA are essentially one community split by a state line. This creates unique funeral planning considerations:
Cravens-Shires serves both states — they explicitly serve families in both southern WV and southwest VA. If you have family in both Bluefields or in Tazewell County (VA), this dual-state coverage can simplify logistics.
Virginia funeral costs are comparable — unlike the Martinsburg/DC corridor where Maryland prices are much higher, funeral costs in southwest Virginia are similar to southern WV. There's less financial incentive to cross state lines here.
Cemetery decisions matter — if your family cemetery is in Virginia, you can still use a WV funeral home for the service and have the burial in VA. Funeral homes in both Princeton and Bluefield handle this regularly.
Virginia death certificates — if the death occurs in WV, the death certificate is issued by WV Vital Registration regardless of where the funeral or burial takes place.
Serving Rural Southern WV
Princeton and Bluefield funeral homes serve families well beyond Mercer County — including some of WV's most rural and underserved communities:
Communities served include: Athens, Oakvale, Rock, Green Valley, Peterstown (Monroe County), Hinton (Summers County), Welch and Iaeger (McDowell County), Pineville (Wyoming County), and communities throughout the southern coalfields.
If you live in a rural southern WV community without a local funeral home, Princeton and Bluefield providers can arrange transportation and are accustomed to serving families across a wide geographic area. Don't hesitate to call even if you're 30–45 minutes away.
How Princeton/Bluefield Compares
| City | Avg. Burial | Direct Cremation | Funeral Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton/Bluefield | $6,000 | $1,150 | 7+ |
| Beckley (30 min north) | $6,200 | $1,200 | 6+ |
| Charleston | $6,526 | $1,269 | 12+ |
| Huntington | $5,960 | $1,200 | 14+ |
| WV state average | $8,074 | $2,289 | — |
The Princeton-Bluefield area is slightly cheaper than Beckley (30 minutes north) and among the most affordable funeral markets in the state.
5 Ways to Save on Funeral Costs
- 1. Go directly to Mercer Funeral Home for cremation — they operate the only crematory in Mercer County. Cutting out the middleman avoids transfer fees other funeral homes would charge.
- 2. Compare Princeton and Bluefield providers — the cities are 10 miles apart and prices vary. Getting quotes from 3–4 providers across both cities takes one afternoon of phone calls.
- 3. Ask Seaver about live streaming — if distant family members can attend the service virtually via YouTube, fewer people need to travel, reducing the overall cost of the gathering.
- 4. Consider Roselawn's combined services — their funeral home + cemetery on one property may offer package pricing. But compare against an independent funeral home + separate cemetery.
- 5. Check veteran benefits — southern WV has a high veteran population. VA burial benefits cover up to $2,004. The nearest VA national cemetery is in Grafton (~200 miles north). Contact any local funeral home for VA paperwork help.
Protect Your Family From an $8,000 Bill
The average Mercer County funeral costs $6,000 to $11,100+. 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 Princeton & Bluefield Area
- Roselawn Cemetery — Princeton, 13 gardens and 6 mausoleums, since 1956
- Woodlawn Memorial Park — Princeton area
- Monte Vista Memorial Park — Bluefield area
- Grandview Memorial Park — southern Mercer County
- Various church and family cemeteries — scattered throughout rural Mercer County
- WV National Cemetery, Grafton — VA national cemetery (~200 miles north)
Cemetery plot costs in the Princeton-Bluefield area range from $600 to $1,400 — among the lowest in the state.