How Much Does a Headstone Cost? 2026 National Averages and Our Prices

Updated November 5, 2026. National ranges come from published 2026 price guides. Our prices come from our online store.

Most families in the United States spend about $1,000 to $3,000 on a headstone. That usually covers the stone, the name and dates, and setting it at the cemetery. A simple flat marker can cost as little as $200 to $500 from an online seller. A companion upright for two names often runs $2,000 to $6,000, and large custom monuments can pass $10,000.

We are Gaulden Monuments, a family-owned monument shop with 8 showrooms in the Carolinas. Our prices start at $725 for a flat granite marker, $1,384 for a slant marker and $1,625 for an upright headstone, with engraving included and free delivery to the cemetery. Below you will find the national numbers first, then ours, so you can compare.

See our prices

Headstone cost at a glance

The US ranges show the spread across four 2026 price guides from national memorial sellers, a national cemetery and funeral group, and an estate-settlement service. Our starting prices come from our online store in November 2026 and include engraving.

What is the average cost of a headstone?

The 2026 guides we read agree on about $1,000 to $3,000 for a standard granite headstone with basic engraving and installation. Two of them give that exact range, and the others land close to it. The spread is wide because "headstone" covers everything from a 24-inch flat marker to a carved monument for a couple.

The funeral cost figures you may have seen leave the headstone out. The National Funeral Directors Association's latest price study put the median funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300 in 2023, and that figure does not include the cemetery, the monument or the grave marker. Most families pay for the headstone separately, often months after the funeral.

Headstone cost by type

Flat grass markers

A flat marker lies level with the grass, and it is the least expensive kind of headstone. A single flat marker, about 24 by 12 inches, runs about $200 to $1,500 depending on the granite, the thickness and how much you engrave. Cemetery-sold flush markers tend to start near $500. A flat companion marker for two names, about 48 inches long, usually costs $800 to $2,000. Some memorial parks allow only flat markers, so ask the cemetery before you choose.

Bevel markers

A bevel marker sits a few inches above the ground with a sloped top, so you can read it from a step or two away. Expect about $500 to $1,500.

Slant markers

A slant marker stands on a base with an angled face. Single slants run about $700 to $2,500 across the guides, and a companion slant for two names often costs $1,300 to $2,500.

Upright headstones

An upright is the tall, traditional headstone: a tablet standing on a granite base. A single upright in gray granite usually costs $1,000 to $3,000, and published ranges reach about $4,000 for bigger sizes and darker granite. A national cemetery group quotes uprights from about $1,500.

Companion headstones for two

A companion upright carries two names on one wide stone, which many couples choose. The national range runs about $2,000 to $6,000. One companion stone often costs less than two single stones, and the stone carver can add the second date later.

Hearts, angels and custom shapes

Shaped stones take more cutting and carving. Published ranges start around $1,600 and run past $6,000, and fully custom monuments can reach $10,000 to $15,000.

Bronze markers

A bronze plaque usually sits on a granite base. A single bronze marker costs about $800 to $5,000 depending on size and seller, and companion or upright bronze pieces can run $6,000 to $8,000. Some cemeteries require bronze so the markers in a section match.

Memorial benches

A granite bench gives visitors a place to sit and carries names like any headstone. One national seller puts benches at about $3,000 to $10,000.

Pet memorials

Small granite markers for a pet run about $100 to $800.

What changes the price of a headstone

Granite color and material

Gray granite costs the least because quarries in the US cut so much of it. Black, red and blue granites cost more, and the guides put the premium for black anywhere from 10% to 50% over gray at the same size. You can see the gap in our own store: the same single slant marker is $1,384 in Blue Ridge Gray, $2,157 in Morning Rose and $2,359 in Jet Black.

Marble starts around $1,500 for a headstone and runs 25% to 40% above granite of the same size. It also weathers faster outdoors, so ask about upkeep before you choose it.

Size

Quarries sell stone by volume, so a few inches change the bill. In our store a single upright costs $1,625 with an 18-inch tablet and $1,749 with a 24-inch tablet. A companion upright for two names starts at $2,489.

Engraving, carving and extras

Most sellers include the name, the dates and a short line in the base price. Where a seller does not, a national cemetery group puts engraving the name and dates at about $500. Beyond the basics, the published figures look like this:

• Extra lettering: about $5 to $10 per character at some sellers; others charge a flat rate.
• Laser-etched portrait or scene: about $300 to $800, and $1,000 or more for a large scene.
• Shape or relief carving: about $200 to $1,000 extra.
• Porcelain photo: about $200 to $400.
• Flower vase: about $100 to $500.
• Adding a date after the stone is set: often $200 to $500 in labor, plus the engraving.

For wording ideas, see our guide to headstone inscriptions.

Installation, foundation and cemetery fees

The price of the stone is only part of the bill. These are the extra costs the national guides list:

• Installation: about $100 to $800 in most guides, and up to $2,000 for large monuments at some cemeteries.
• Concrete foundation: about $100 to $600. Many cemeteries require one under an upright.
• Setting or permit fees: about $50 to more than $500, set by each cemetery.

Together these can add $300 to $1,500. Ask the cemetery for its fees in writing before you order. Many cemeteries also approve the stone first; our guide on whether you need permission to put a headstone on a grave explains how that works. With us, delivery to any cemetery in the 48 contiguous states is free, and installation is free in the central Carolinas.

How long does a headstone take?

National sellers quote about 8 to 16 weeks for a custom headstone, and flat markers can come sooner. You face no deadline. Many cemeteries ask families to wait a few months for the ground to settle before they set an upright. Our guide on how long after death a headstone is placed covers the timing. When you order from us, you get your final design to approve within 5 days, and we confirm with the cemetery that it will accept the stone.

What is the cheapest headstone?

A flat marker in gray granite. The simplest ones start around $200 to $500 online. Ours starts at $725 for a Single Grass Level Memorial in Blue Ridge Gray granite, with engraving and cemetery delivery included.

To spend less on any headstone:

• Choose a flat or bevel marker over an upright. The guides put the savings at $500 to $2,000.
• Choose gray granite. Specialty colors can add 30% to 50% to the stone.
• Keep the design simple. Carving, etching and photos add the most.
• For a couple, one companion stone usually costs less than two singles.

Every stone we sell for less than $1,500 is on one page: affordable headstones under $1,500.

Headstones for veterans

The VA provides a headstone or marker at no charge for eligible veterans, in a national cemetery or a private one. In a private cemetery, the family pays any setting fees. If you buy a private headstone, you can ask the VA for a medallion to attach to it instead. Call the VA to check eligibility. Our Veterans Style bronze marker is $2,199 on a granite base.

What our headstones cost at Gaulden Monuments

Gaulden Monuments has made headstones since 1961. We list our prices online so you can see them before you call. These ranges come from our online store in November 2026:

A few examples from those pages:

• Single upright in Blue Ridge Gray, 18" x 6" x 24" tablet on its base: $1,625. Companion upright with a 36" tablet: $2,489. Family companion with a 60" tablet: $4,199.
• Single flat grass marker, 24" x 12" x 4": $725 in Blue Ridge Gray, $992 in Morning Rose. Companion flat marker, 48" long: $1,560.
• Single bevel marker: $1,229 in Blue Ridge Gray, $1,398 in Jet Black.
• Single bronze marker with a granite base and vase: $3,199. Large companion bronze: $6,210.
• Hourglass leg bench in gray granite: $2,249. Cremation benches with room for urns: $2,789 to $3,849.
• 2 niche columbarium with a vase: $4,199. 6 niche columbarium: $7,639.
• Pet markers in Blue Ridge granite: $145 small, $319 medium, $389 large.

What our price includes

• Engraving of the name and dates.
• Free delivery to any cemetery in the 48 contiguous states. Delivery to a home address is $75.
• Free installation on most stones in the central Carolinas, including the Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Statesville and Columbia areas. Outside that region, we advise you on installation.
• Your final design to approve within 5 days of your order.
• We confirm with the cemetery that it will accept the stone.

The cemetery's own fees are not included. Some cemeteries charge for setting or permits, so ask yours.

Common add-ons

• Color porcelain photo insert: $375 on most stones ($330 to $425 depending on the stone).
• Matching granite flower vase on an upright: $249 to $282. Zinc flower vase on a flat marker: $325 to $375.
• Third or fourth name and date on an upright: $160 each.
• Last name on the back of an upright: $180 to $250.
• Matching granite base under a slant: $525 to $950.

Our headstone cost calculator adds up the stone, the extras and delivery for you.

Visit a showroom

Want to see granite colors in person before you order? Visit one of our showrooms: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Gastonia, Monroe, Salisbury, Marion, Winnsboro and Florence. You can also call us at (803) 327-2760.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost of a headstone?

Across 2026 price guides, a standard granite headstone with basic engraving and installation costs about $1,000 to $3,000. Flat markers start around $200 online, and large or custom monuments can pass $10,000.

How much does a headstone cost at Gaulden Monuments?

In our online store, most headstones cost between $725 and $4,300. A flat grass-level marker starts at $725, a slant marker at $1,384 and an upright headstone at $1,625.

What is the cheapest headstone?

A flat grass-level marker in gray granite. The simplest ones start around $200 to $500 online. Ours start at $725 in Blue Ridge Gray granite, with engraving included.

How much does an upright headstone cost?

A single upright in gray granite usually costs $1,000 to $3,000 nationally. Upright headstones in our store range from $1,625 for a single upright to $4,280. A companion upright for two names starts at $2,489.

Does the price of a headstone include installation?

Often not. Installation usually adds about $100 to $800, and a concrete foundation about $100 to $600. With us, delivery to the cemetery is free and installation is free in the central Carolinas.

Is delivery included?

Delivery to any cemetery in the 48 contiguous states is free. Installation is free in the central Carolinas. Delivery to a home address is $75.

Why does granite color change the price?

Each granite carries its own price. The same single slant marker is $1,384 in Blue Ridge Gray, $2,157 in Morning Rose and $2,359 in Jet Black.

What is the cheapest color of granite for a headstone?

Gray granite. In our store, Blue Ridge Gray is the lowest-priced granite: the same single slant marker is $1,384 in Blue Ridge Gray and $2,359 in Jet Black.

Why are headstones so expensive?

A headstone is heavy granite that someone has to quarry, cut, polish, engrave and haul to the cemetery, and then set on a level base. Our shop has cut and lettered stone since 1961. Darker granite, larger sizes and carving add to that.

Can you get a headstone for free?

Eligible veterans can receive a headstone or marker from the VA at no charge. In a private cemetery, the family pays any setting fees. Our Veterans Style bronze marker is $2,199 on a granite base.

When you are ready

Take the time you need. A headstone has no deadline, and we are glad to answer questions before you decide. Contact us, call (803) 327-2760 or browse our online store.

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Where the national figures come from: 2026 price guides published by two national memorial sellers, a national cemetery and funeral group, and an estate-settlement service, plus the National Funeral Directors Association's 2023 price study. We show the full spread across them.