Business phone system for funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania
966 funeral homes and funeral services operated in Pennsylvania in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 966CBP 2023
- Employees
- 4,901mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 7.4U.S. 4.5
- State rank
- 3rd of 51by count
The funeral home industry in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania had 966 funeral homes and funeral services in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 812210, Funeral Homes and Funeral Services). They employed 4,901 people in mid-March and reported $203.5 million in annual payroll. That is the 3rd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Funeral homes and funeral services make up 0.31% of the 307,065 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Pennsylvania has 7.4 funeral homes and funeral services, 65.5% above the national rate of 4.5. The average establishment has 5.1 employees against 7.1 nationally. Payroll per employee is $41,525, 4.9% below the U.S. figure of $43,650.
| Measure | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 966 | 15,183 |
| Mid-March employees | 4,901 | 107,566 |
| Annual payroll | $203,513,000 | $4,695,206,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 5.1 | 7.1 |
| Payroll per employee | $41,525 | $43,650 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 7.4 | 4.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Pennsylvania's largest markets for funeral homes and funeral services
Census published funeral home counts for 32 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Pennsylvania. The largest is Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 307 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 67% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 307 | 1,746 | 4.8 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 244 | 1,229 | 10.0 |
| Scranton, PA | 62 | 188 | 10.8 |
| Allentown, PA-NJ | 60 | 273 | 6.8 |
| Reading, PA | 32 | 218 | 7.3 |
| Lancaster, PA | 30 | 288 | 5.3 |
| Harrisburg, PA | 29 | 223 | 4.7 |
| York, PA | 26 | 204 | 5.5 |
| Erie, PA | 21 | 171 | 7.8 |
| Pottsville, PA | 18 | 44 | 12.5 |
| Johnstown, PA | 16 | 78 | 12.3 |
| Altoona, PA | 15 | 62 | 12.5 |
| Williamsport, PA | 13 | 117 | 11.5 |
| Hermitage, PA | 12 | — | 11.1 |
| Somerset, PA | 12 | 52 | 16.6 |
| Sunbury, PA | 11 | 51 | 10.2 |
| State College, PA | 10 | 42 | 6.3 |
| Meadville, PA | 10 | — | 12.2 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 8 | — | 5.0 |
| Lebanon, PA | 8 | 61 | 5.5 |
| Indiana, PA | 8 | 56 | 9.6 |
| DuBois, PA | 8 | — | 10.2 |
| Oil City, PA | 8 | 18 | 16.2 |
| East Stroudsburg, PA | 7 | — | 4.2 |
| Bloomsburg, PA | 7 | — | 10.6 |
Top 25 of 32 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania
60.8% of Pennsylvania's funeral homes and funeral services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 49.3% nationally. 88.3% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 586 | 60.8% | 49.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 265 | 27.5% | 28.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 91 | 9.4% | 16.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 22 | 2.3% | 5.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a funeral home in Pennsylvania has to catch
Funeral homes receive calls at any hour, often at a family's most difficult moment, so every call must be answered with care. Coordination with clergy, cemeteries and florists also happens by phone. That holds for funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania:
- A family calls about service times.
- A florist calls about a delivery.
- The funeral home calls a family to plan arrangements.
Texting families
Funeral homes text service details to families who request them.
Texting from a local number in Pennsylvania requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs a funeral home in Pennsylvania
Funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania average 5.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $124.75 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $150.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $99.00 a month for 5 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $612 less than RingCentral for a funeral home in Pennsylvania of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $95.00 | $1,140.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $115.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $124.75 | $1,497.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $135.00 | $1,620.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $150.00 | $1,800.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has 15 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a funeral home can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 267 | 786 | Eastern | 1999 | 215, 445 |
| 484 | 786 | Eastern | 1999 | 610, 835 |
| 717 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 223 |
| 814 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 582 |
| 215 | 783 | Eastern | 1947 | 267, 445 |
| 724 | 783 | Eastern | 1998 | 878 |
| 570 | 782 | Eastern | 1998 | 272 |
| 610 | 782 | Eastern | 1994 | 484, 835 |
| 412 | 762 | Eastern | 1947 | 878 |
| 272 | 336 | Eastern | 2013 | 570 |
| 223 | 252 | Eastern | 2017 | 717 |
| 878 | 190 | Eastern | 2001 | 412, 724 |
| 445 | 183 | Eastern | 2018 | 215, 267 |
| 582 | 154 | Eastern | 2021 | 814 |
| 835 | 109 | Eastern | 2022 | 484, 610 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for funeral homes and funeral services in Pennsylvania
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Pennsylvania is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many funeral homes and funeral services are in Pennsylvania?
966 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 4,901 people in mid-March.
Which Pennsylvania metro area has the most funeral homes and funeral services?
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 307 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 5-person funeral home?
$150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Pennsylvania number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.