Cremations are now twice as common as burials in the U.S., reversing a norm from two decades ago, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

Why it matters: Shifting attitudes around religion, cost and the environment are reshaping how Americans — and Austinites — handle death.

By the numbers: Cremation surpassed burial nationwide in 2015 — and the gap has only widened since, with the NFDA projecting cremation will continue gaining share.

• In Texas, the burial rate dropped from 43% in 2020 to 35% last year. The cremation rate surged from 50% to 58%.
• Burials also cost significantly more: In 2023, the median price of a casketed burial with viewing and ceremony was $8,300, compared with $2,750 for a direct cremation, according to NFDA data.

Zoom in: "The No. 1 factor is the cemetery costs have gone up so much," Darrell Woody, chief embalmer at King-Tears Mortuary in Austin, tells Axios. "You have families barely able to pay for a funeral paying for the funeral service — but the final disposition will be a cremation instead of burial."

• Family dynamics in Austin are also playing a role, said Woody.
• Decades ago, adult Austinites were more likely to be from here or raise families here — and families wanted a gravesite to pay respects. Now, "with the migration of people to Texas, they think, 'I'm here, but it's best to cremate me, because no one is going to come to visit my grave anyway because no one here knows me that way," Woody says.

Between the lines: Texas has seen steady growth in cremations, though its rate of increase may be lagging other states because of slower uptake in South Texas and rural areas, Harvey Hilderbran, executive director of the Texas Funeral Directors Association, tells Axios.

• He says areas that tend to be Latino or Catholic have been sticking with more traditional burial services.

Stunning stat: By 2045, the cremation rate in Texas is projected to be 79%, per the NFDA.

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Roughly $126 billion is now potentially up for grabs after the Supreme Court struck down a swath of President Trump's tariffs on Friday.

Why it matters: The ruling could lead to a chaotic refund process — and it's unclear who gets to pocket that cash.

• The Supreme Court ultimately left that question to the Trump administration in its ruling. "The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in his dissent.

Zoom in: Texas businesses paid $11.4 billion in tariffs instituted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), according to economic research firm Trade Partnership Worldwide, based on trade from February to December 2025.

What's next: Economists at TD Securities estimate the refund process could take up to 18 months as cases make their way through the federal court system.

🍿 Filmmaker Steven Spielberg will deliver the keynote speech at South by Southwest. (Deadline)

🛳️ Austin-based Saronic Technologies is considering Brownsville for a $3.2 billion military shipyard to build autonomous vessels for the U.S. Navy. (MySA)

🛣️ Bastrop County commissioners will consider today naming part of FM 969 "Charlie Kirk Corridor," in honor of the slain conservative activist. (CBS Austin)

💻 The University of Texas will open a new School of Computing in fall 2026, aimed at boosting AI research. (KVUE)

Here's what's on deck this week.

Monday

📖 Hear from American Idol finalist David Archuleta in conversation with Johnny Sibilly at Book People to mark the release of Archuleta's book, "Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself." $34, 7pm.

Tuesday

🍽️ Join Sober Supper Club for a family-style dinner at Loro, paired with three nonalcoholic beverages. $60, 6:30pm.

📚 Listen to Booker Prize winner George Saunders as he reflects on "Vigil," his new novel of conscience and transformation, at the LBJ Auditorium. $55, 7pm.

Wednesday

🎶 Learn from the Red River Cultural District's public panel series at The 13th Floor, featuring local venue bookers, musicians and industry professionals who will share guidance for building sustainable music careers. $15, 5:30pm.

Thursday

🪢 Try your hand at Buzz Mill Coffee's rope making workshop. $34, 7pm.

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A new downtown co-working space launched this month with a focus on expanding access for entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers to capital, networks and visibility.

Driving the news: Lab Fifty6, part of the Downtown Austin Space Activation program, aims to bring together resources, mentorship and collaboration for people of color.

Zoom in: The space is open daily for co-working, workshops and other events.

• Organizers say future plans include launching an incubator and accelerator program to help small businesses and creative entrepreneurs scale.

Between the lines: The Downtown Austin Space Activation program has worked to transform vacant storefronts into hubs for creatives, artists and small businesses and lowers barriers for entrepreneurs to test ideas.

• The program has hosted 500 events with over 6,700 participants in its first year, per the Downtown Austin Alliance.
• More than half of the program's participants were nonprofits and 50% were minority owned businesses.

📍 If you go: Find Lab Fifty6 at 506 Congress Ave. Day passes start at $20.