CallataGuides

Business phone system for funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee

438 funeral homes and funeral services operated in Tennessee in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
438CBP 2023
Employees
3,409mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
6.1U.S. 4.5
State rank
13th of 51by count

Funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee by the numbers

County Business Patterns counts 438 establishments in Tennessee classified as Funeral Homes and Funeral Services (NAICS 812210) for 2023. They employed 3,409 people in mid-March and reported $140.2 million in annual payroll. That is the 13th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Funeral homes and funeral services make up 0.29% of the 150,129 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Tennessee has 6.1 funeral homes and funeral services, 35.7% above the national rate of 4.5. The average establishment has 7.8 employees against 7.1 nationally. Payroll per employee is $41,135, 5.8% below the U.S. figure of $43,650.

Funeral homes and funeral services: Tennessee compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureTennesseeUnited States
Establishments43815,183
Mid-March employees3,409107,566
Annual payroll$140,229,000$4,695,206,000
Employees per establishment7.87.1
Payroll per employee$41,135$43,650
Establishments per 100,000 residents6.14.5

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.

Tennessee's largest markets for funeral homes and funeral services

Census published funeral home counts for 24 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Tennessee. The largest is Nashville, TN, with 90 establishments. 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.

Funeral homes and funeral services by metro or micropolitan area, Tennessee, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Nashville, TN907454.2
Knoxville, TN604126.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR524953.9
Chattanooga, TN-GA293134.9
Kingsport, TN-VA263418.3
Winchester, TN208544.3
Johnson City, TN191598.8
Jackson, TN18829.8
Clarksville, TN-KY141164.0
Cookeville, TN11—7.3
Cleveland, TN101047.6
Morristown, TN10557.9
Tullahoma, TN94613.2
Athens, TN7419.9
Martin, TN61818.1
Shelbyville, TN5—9.2
Sevierville, TN4694.0
Lewisburg, TN42210.6
Union City, TN4—13.2
Greeneville, TN3—4.1
Crossville, TN3204.6
Lawrenceburg, TN3—6.5
McMinnville, TN3266.9
Dyersburg, TN3—8.2

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee

38.9% of Tennessee's funeral homes and funeral services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 49.3% nationally. 76.0% 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.

Funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees17038.9%49.3%
5–9 employees16237.1%28.5%
10–19 employees7517.2%16.6%
20–49 employees306.9%5.0%
50 or more employees00.0%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.

What funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee use the phone for

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.

Calls a funeral home in Tennessee might handle in a typical week include:

Business texting for funeral homes and funeral services

Funeral homes text service details to families who request them.

Texting from a local number in Tennessee requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

Callata vs. per-seat pricing for funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee

Funeral homes and funeral services in Tennessee average 7.8 employees, so the comparison uses an 8-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 8 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $240.00 a month and 8 on Ooma Office Pro cost $199.60. Callata comes to $159.00 a month for 8 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $972 less than RingCentral for a funeral home in Tennessee of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for an 8-person funeral home
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$159.00$1,908.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$152.00$1,824.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$184.00$2,208.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$199.60$2,395.20
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$216.00$2,592.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$240.00$2,880.00

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 Tennessee

Tennessee has 8 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 codes in Tennessee by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
615781Central1954629
423764Eastern and Central1995729
901616Central1947none
931538Eastern and Central1997none
865506Eastern1999none
731395Central2001none
629197Central2015615
7290Eastern and Central2025423

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 Tennessee

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

438 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 3,409 people in mid-March.

Which Tennessee metro area has the most funeral homes and funeral services?

Nashville, TN, with 90 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost an 8-person funeral home?

$240.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $199.60 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $159.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Tennessee 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.