Burial Plots in Elkhart, IN: Costs and Cheaper Options
What a burial plot in Elkhart, Indiana costs: the plot, opening and closing, liner and upkeep fees, plus ways to pay less.
Planning in Elkhart, IndianaUpdated 5 min read
A burial plot in Elkhart costs whatever the cemetery charges for it, and the plot is rarely the only cemetery bill. Most families also pay to have the grave opened and closed, buy a grave liner, and sometimes pay a separate upkeep fee. FuneralUS doesn't have published plot prices for Elkhart cemeteries yet, so the quickest way to a real number is to call two or three cemeteries and ask for each of those charges in writing.
What does a burial plot cost in Elkhart?
Each Elkhart cemetery sets its own prices. The table shows what makes up the total, so you can compare cemeteries line by line instead of on the plot price alone.
Cemetery charge
What it pays for
What the FTC says
Plot (gravesite)
The right to burial in one specific space
"Cemetery plots can be expensive, especially in metropolitan areas."
Opening and closing
Digging the grave and filling it in after the burial
Opening a grave usually costs "hundreds of dollars", with more charged to fill it in
Grave liner
A container the casket goes into
"Most, but not all, cemeteries require you to purchase a grave liner, which will cost several hundred dollars."
Perpetual care
Mowing and upkeep of the grounds
Sometimes included in the plot price. If not, look for a separate endowment care fee
The headstone or marker is a separate purchase, and the cemetery decides which kinds it allows. Check its rules before you order one.
How can I find a less expensive burial plot?
Compare the total, not the plot. A cheap plot with high opening, closing and liner charges can cost more than a pricier plot at another cemetery.
Call more than one cemetery. Prices are set cemetery by cemetery, so asking is the only way to know.
Check veterans' benefits first. An eligible veteran can be buried in a VA national cemetery with no charge for the gravesite (details below).
Be careful with "veterans' specials". The FTC warns that some commercial cemeteries offer the veteran a free plot, then charge "exorbitant rates" for the spouse's plot next to it and high opening and closing fees.
Ask about urn plots. If the family is open to cremation, ask the cemetery what it charges to bury an urn, including opening and closing. Direct cremation in Elkhart is listed from $1,295 to $3,260 at five local providers; see our Elkhart cremation guide.
Ask about a plot someone else owns. If a relative or friend has a plot they won't use, ask the cemetery whether it can be transferred to your family, and what paperwork and fees that involves.
Can a veteran be buried for free near Elkhart?
Yes, in a VA national cemetery. For an eligible veteran, the VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone, marker or medallion, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a burial flag at no charge. The FTC adds that there's no charge for a vault or liner or for setting the marker in a national cemetery, and that spouses and dependent children are also entitled to a lot and marker there. The family generally pays other costs, such as transportation to the cemetery.
In Indiana, Marion National Cemetery (1700 East 38th Street, Marion; 765-674-0284) is open for burials. The state-run Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Madison (812-273-9220) is also open. New Albany National Cemetery and the Crown Hill National Cemetery Annex in Indianapolis take cremated remains only.
To schedule a burial in a national cemetery, the VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office is at 1-800-535-1117.
Which cemeteries are in Elkhart?
Cemeteries with an Elkhart address include Rice Cemetery, Prairie Street Cemetery and Saint Vincent de Paul Cemetery. Before you buy a plot anywhere, the FTC suggests asking:
Does it meet your family's religious requirements?
Does it restrict burial vaults bought somewhere else?
What monuments or markers does it allow?
Can you leave flowers or other remembrances on the grave?
Is perpetual care included in the price, or charged separately?
What kinds of burial can you choose?
Ground burial. The casket goes into a grave, usually inside a liner or vault. It can follow a viewing and a funeral service.
Green or natural burial. No embalming, a biodegradable container and usually no vault. Ask each cemetery whether it allows it.
Mausoleum. Burial above ground in a crypt inside a building.
Burial of cremated remains. The urn goes into a cemetery plot or a columbarium niche. For a mausoleum or columbarium, the FTC says to expect the cost of the crypt, opening and closing fees, and endowment care.
Who can arrange a burial in Elkhart?
Funeral homes handle the burial arrangements and work with the cemetery. These Elkhart funeral homes are listed on FuneralUS:
EverSettled gets your paperwork attorney-ready faster, so you can reach the inheritance sooner, and guides you through the rest of the admin after a death.