At McDougal Funeral Home, we’re here to offer numerous funeral planning and related services for many different individuals or families, including selecting ideal burial location and many other areas. Here are a few of the other variables that separate cemeteries from graveyards, including several important areas to consider while choosing between them.

Cost Considerations

One area that tends to be relatively similar between cemeteries and graveyards is the cost of burial plots. There really aren’t any major differences here – rather, costs will vary based on other factors:

• Size of the burial plot
• Whether the location is public or private
• Whether the location is in a rural or urban area (the latter tends to be pricier)
• The location’s interment fees (refer to charges for opening and closing the grave, replacing the sod on top, and filing legal burial records)
• Whether the location requires use of a grave liner or burial vault, which will range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Length of Ownership

When we talk about length of ownership, this refers to how long the location guarantees someone will stay buried. Both cemeteries and graveyards tend to offer ownership lengths of at least 100 years, but it’s very unusual for someone to be removed from the ground even after this period expires unless there are space issues.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are an area that will vary pretty widely between individual locations, not necessarily between cemeteries and graveyards in general. Many will have specific visiting hours and will be closed off during the other parts of the day or night, while others will remain open 24 hours a day – but will likely have both restrictions in place and security themes like cameras on the premises.

Making Your Decision

Depending on your situation, there are many variables you might consider when choosing between a cemetery and graveyard. If you’re the family of a recently departed loved one, did they share their burial wishes in any way before passing? If so, these should be carried out.

If not, consider other important themes. Was your loved one a member of a local church that has an on-site graveyard? If so, is it in a location you and other family members can visit easily? Is there enough room in a desired burial location for a spouse to be buried next to them in the future? Ask these and other questions related to your specific needs while making this choice.



For more on choosing between a cemetery and graveyard for burial, or to learn about any of our funeral planning or other mortuary services, speak to the staff at McDougal Funeral Home today.