How much does a headstone cost?

What is the average cost for a headstone?

Most families spend between $1,000 and $3,000 on a standard headstone, with basic lettering and installation. That is the figure given by the national pricing guides at Memorials.com, Empathy and Alix. The Funeral Consumers Alliance, a nonprofit consumer group, tells families to expect about $1,000 or more for the headstone, engraving and installation together.

That average covers very different stones. The table gives each type, from the national guides and from sellers’ own price lists. Prices move with size, granite color, region, and what the price includes.

National guides: Memorials.com, Empathy, Fram Monument (2026), Rock of Ages and Alix. Online list: Headstone Deals price list, stone with all its lettering. Ohio dealer: Ohio Monuments, updated for 2024, including lettering, delivery and installation. New Jersey dealer: Will Hope & Son, 2026. Bevel and bench starting prices: Timestone and Gifford Monument Works.

How much does a flat headstone cost?

A flat marker lies level with the grass, so mowers pass over it. Some lawn cemeteries and memorial parks allow nothing else, and it is the least expensive kind of headstone.

Most national guides put a single flat granite marker at $200 to $1,500. Memorials.com says a plain grey granite one with basic lettering starts around $200 to $400. Rock of Ages, a granite maker, gives a higher average of $1,000 to $2,000.

Flat markers typically measure 24 x 12 to 28 x 16 inches (Memorials.com). On one online price list, grey granite runs from $549 for 20 x 10 inches to $1,399 for 28 x 16. A flat marker for two, about 48 x 12 inches, costs $800 to $2,000 according to Alix. A bevel marker, a low block with a sloped top that is a little easier to read, costs $500 to $2,500 in the guides. Sizes, bronze and cemetery rules for low stones are in our guide to grave markers.

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Is an upright headstone better than a flat headstone?

Neither is better. An upright stands on a base, reads from the path and has room for more words. A flat marker costs less and is the only kind some cemetery sections allow.

A single upright usually costs $1,000 to $3,000 in the Memorials.com and Empathy guides, and $1,500 to $6,000 or more in Fram Monument’s 2026 guide. Rock of Ages gives an average of $2,500 to $6,000. Uprights cost more because they need more stone, more polished faces, a heavier base and a stronger foundation (Fram).

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A slant marker sits between the two: a wedge with a sloped face, easy to read without the height of an upright. Guides put a single slant at $800 to $4,000, and one online list gives $1,699 to $2,549 for 24 x 10 x 16 inches.

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How much does a double headstone cost?

A companion upright for two usually costs $2,000 to $5,000 in the Memorials.com and Empathy guides, and up to $8,000 or more in Fram’s. A flat marker for two costs less, $800 to $2,000 according to Alix. One stone for two usually costs less than two separate stones (Empathy).

Real price lists sit inside those ranges: $3,599 to $5,599 for a 36 inch companion upright on one online list, depending on the granite, and $4,122 to $8,887 installed at an Ohio dealer. A double heart on the same online list is $4,299 to $6,599.

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If one of the couple is living, the second date is added later, at a separate charge (see engraving below).

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Bench, heart and pet headstone prices

Memorial bench. A granite bench with the family name cut into it. Most guides put bench headstone prices at $3,000 to $10,000. Dealer lists vary widely: $2,000 to $5,000 at a New Jersey company, from $2,640 at another dealer, and $4,626 to $13,221 installed at an Ohio dealer. Ask the cemetery first, because not every section allows one.

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Heart. Shaped stones cost more than straight or serpentine tops because they take more cutting (Memorials.com). One online list prices a single heart at $2,899 to $4,599, by granite color.

Pet. A small flat pet marker of 20 x 10 x 3 inches is $549 to $649 on the same list. The national guides we read do not price pet stones.

What is the best material for headstones?

Granite is the usual choice. It is hard, takes lettering well, and lasts with little care (see how to clean a headstone). Bronze is common for flat markers, and some cemetery sections require it so the markers match. Marble is softer and weathers faster (Memorials.com, Empathy).

Cost of a granite headstone by color. Grey is the least expensive. Black, red and blue granites cost more, often because they are imported (Memorials.com). How much more varies by source: Alix says black runs 10% to 20% above grey, Memorials.com says 40% to 50%, and Rock of Ages puts the gap between its own grey and its darkest black at about 50%. One online price list shows the steps: the same 24 x 12 x 4 inch flat marker is $749 in grey, $849 in black, $949 in India red and $1,099 in black galaxy or blue pearl.

Bronze. It costs more than granite of the same size. Empathy says a 24 x 12 inch bronze marker on a granite base is about five times the price of a similar granite flat marker, at $2,500 to $3,500 for one person and $4,000 to $6,000 for two.

How much does headstone engraving cost?

The names and dates are usually included in the price of the stone, often with a simple symbol (Memorials.com). Some sellers, like the online list and the Ohio dealer above, include all the lettering on the front however long it is. Others charge for extra words:

• Extra letters: $5 to $10 per character (Memorials.com), or about $20 a character for the first 20 and $10 after that (Empathy).
• Added engraving and symbols: about $350 on average for added engraving, and $100 to $300 for a religious symbol (Alix).
• Laser etching (a picture etched into polished black granite): $300 to $500 for a small one and $1,000 or more for a large scene (Memorials.com). Fram lists $750 to $1,000.
• Raised or shaped carving: $200 to $1,000 or more. Porcelain photos: $200 to $400 each (Memorials.com).

How much does it cost to engrave an existing headstone? More than lettering cut before the stone is set. Alix says crews may need to take the stone up and reset it, which adds $200 to $500 in labor on top of the engraving, and puts added engraving at about $350 a line.

How much does it cost to have a headstone placed on a grave?

Plan on a few hundred dollars, sometimes more. Placing a headstone usually means a concrete foundation, the setting itself, and often a cemetery permit, and each can be billed separately. Memorials.com puts all these extras together at $300 to $1,500.

Some dealers include delivery and setting in their price. The Ohio dealer above does, and Timestone does for its smaller stones. Others leave the foundation to the cemetery. Ask the cemetery office for its fee list in writing before you order.

What makes one headstone cost more than another

• Size. Stone is bought from the quarry by volume, so a few inches change the price (Memorials.com).
• Shape and polish. Shaped tops, hearts and carved stones take more cutting, and every polished face is more work (Fram).
• The base. An upright stands on a separate base wider than the stone. A bigger stone also needs a bigger foundation (Memorials.com).
• Shipping. Granite is heavy, and shipping it can add several hundred dollars (Memorials.com).
• Foundation and cemetery rules. Each cemetery sets its own sizes, foundations and fees.
• Region. Prices are higher in big cities than in rural areas (Rock of Ages). Alix puts California 15% to 30% above the national average.
• Timing. Some companies charge a rush fee (Signature Headstones), and where the ground freezes, some cemeteries do not set stones in winter.

Do you have to buy the headstone from the cemetery?

Usually not. A headstone can be bought from the cemetery, a monument company or an online seller, depending on the cemetery’s rules. The Funeral Consumers Alliance says some cemeteries still insist on selling it themselves, or charge an “inspection fee” for a stone bought elsewhere, and calls this legally questionable.

The FTC’s Funeral Rule, which lets you buy only what you want from a funeral home, does not apply to monument dealers or to cemeteries without an on-site funeral home. Some states go further. Florida law bars a cemetery from tying the sale of a grave to buying a monument through it, and lets outside companies install, while the cemetery may set reasonable size and style rules that apply to every stone.

Do veterans get a free headstone?

Yes, if they qualify. The VA provides a government headstone or marker at no cost for an eligible veteran, including in a private cemetery. It can go on an unmarked grave and, for veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990, on a grave that already has a private headstone. There are service and discharge rules, so check them on VA.gov.

The choices are an upright headstone in granite or marble (42 x 13 x 4 inches), a flat marker in granite, marble or bronze (24 x 12 x 4 inches), or a bronze niche marker. You apply with VA Form 40-1330, and the VA’s help line is 800-697-6947.

What it does not cover: a private cemetery may charge setting, placement or other fees. In national cemeteries the staff set the marker at no cost, and some state veterans cemeteries charge a small fee (VA, FTC). A spouse buried in a private cemetery cannot get a VA marker of their own, but may be added to the veteran’s. If the grave already has a private stone, the VA also offers a medallion to attach to it.

What if I can’t afford a headstone?

You do not have to buy one right away. There is no legal deadline (Limestone Chapel). The cheapest way to buy a headstone that lasts:

• Check for help first. A veteran may qualify for the free VA marker. Empathy suggests checking whether the person prepaid for a headstone or had burial insurance that covers one.
• Choose a flat grey granite marker. It is the lowest-priced type in every guide we read.
• Keep the lettering simple. Names, dates and a short line are usually included. Pictures, portraits and extra lines add cost.
• Ask about payment plans. Some monument companies offer them (Empathy, Memorials.com).
• Compare the total, not the stone. A low online price can end up higher once shipping and a local installer are added (Empathy).

Can I put a headstone on a grave myself?

Only if the cemetery allows it. Most cemeteries have written rules about the foundation and about who may set a stone, and many use their own crew or require an approved installer (Alix). Some online sellers ship small stones to your door and say many customers set their own (Upstate Stoneworks), which suits a family plot or a pet’s grave at home. In a cemetery, ask the office first.

How long should you wait to put a headstone on a grave?

There is no legal rule. Many monument companies suggest waiting three to six months before setting an upright, so the ground can settle (Limestone Chapel). Empathy says several months to a year. Making the stone takes time too: Memorials.com quotes 6 to 12 weeks for a standard headstone. So you can design and order soon after the funeral, and have the stone set when the ground is ready.

What is a good quote for a headstone?

A good quote is one you can compare. It names the stone’s size (width, thickness and height, and the base), the granite color and finish, and every line of lettering and artwork. It also says clearly whether delivery, the foundation, setting, cemetery approval and permits are included (Fram, Limestone Chapel). Get it in writing, and get more than one.

The hard part is getting two companies to price the same stone. A design link solves that. Design the stone here, copy the link, and send it to each monument company you are asking. Each one opens the same stone, from the front and both sides, with the inscription written out, and can price exactly what you designed. We do not sell stones. If you do not have a monument company yet, send the design to us with your zip code, and we pass it to one that serves your area.