Cam and Kelli Muse How Many Souls Are Really on Earth

Cam and Kelli Muse How Many Souls Are Really on Earth

8 billion living people can each have his and her own townhouse and all fit within the US State of TEXAS at the present population density of Manhattan / New York City. TEXAS is tiny compared to ‘known’ land area. Overpopu is Total Myth.

“world popu” comes from CIA WORLD FACTBOOK. LOL Why would anyone trust CIA for anything?

EAST GHOST is a COMpany with a deep article into graveyard land-owner. PHANTASM movies go deeply into the harvested shrunken souls as midget workers in higher-gravity other-realm.

Arthur C Clarke wrote something like ‘behind every living person stands 30 ghosts’…or maybe it was EA POE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNw3H4wDers

Cam and Kelli Muse How Many Souls Are Really on Earth

There is no single company that is the primary landowner of all graveyards in the USA, but Service Corporation International (SCI) is by far the largest owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States.

Key Facts about SCI:

  • Name: Service Corporation International
  • Headquarters: Houston, Texas
  • Ticker Symbol: NYSE: SCI
  • Industry: Deathcare (funeral services, cremations, burials)
  • Market Share: Operates over 1,500 funeral homes and over 500 cemeteries in North America.
  • Brands Owned: Dignity Memorial, Neptune Society, National Cremation, and more.

SCI acquired many formerly independent cemeteries over the decades, often consolidating them under the Dignity Memorial brand. It’s considered the largest “deathcare” provider in the world.


Other Notable Companies:

  • StoneMor Inc. – Previously one of the largest cemetery operators, but recently taken private. Owned ~300 cemeteries and ~70 funeral homes.
  • Park Lawn Corporation (Canada-based) – Owns dozens of cemeteries and funeral homes in the U.S.
  • Carriage Services Inc. – Owns and operates about 70 cemeteries and funeral homes.

Summary:

Service Corporation International (SCI) is the dominant corporate landholder and operator of cemeteries in the United States, though thousands of cemeteries remain independently owned—by churches, municipalities, families, or non-profit associations.


The largest corporate landowner of cemeteries in the U.S. is Service Corporation International (SCI)—they own and manage more cemetery land than any other company.


📊 SCI at a Glance

Scope of Operations

  • SCI operates approximately 1,471 funeral homes and 488 cemeteries across North America (US Funerals Online).
  • This gives them the broadest network in the North American death‑care sector under brands like Dignity Memorial, Neptune Society, and others (Wikipedia).

Land Holdings

  • SCI manages roughly 35,500–35,800 acres of cemetery land in North America (InvestorRoom).
  • Another report estimates SCI oversees up to 63,000 acres of memorial parks/cemeteries (Editable Business Templates).
  • Either way, SCI holds tens of thousands of acres, far surpassing any other corporate entity in the sector.

Market Share


🪦 Comparison with Other Owners

Municipal, Religious & Non‑profit Owners

  • A large number of U.S. cemeteries are non-corporate, including those owned by:
  • Local governments (e.g. municipal or state-run cemeteries)
  • The U.S. federal government, particularly the National Cemetery Administration (VA) which oversees 156 national cemeteries, some administered by the Army/Interior Department (VA.gov).
  • Churches, fraternal orders, or family-run independent cemeteries—especially older or rural plots.

Notable Independent Cemeteries by Size

  • Rose Hills Memorial Park (Whittier, CA) — ~1,400 acres, largest cemetery in North America, affiliated with SCI (memorialsoflife.com).
  • Calverton National Cemetery (NY) — ~1,045 acres, largest national cemetery by area (memorialsoflife.com).
  • Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum (Cincinnati, OH) — ~733 acres, nonprofit and historic (Wikipedia).
  • Arlington National Cemetery (VA) — ~639 acres, major military cemetery (memorialsoflife.com).
  • Crown Hill Cemetery (Indianapolis, IN) — ~555 acres, privately owned and one of the largest private cemeteries (Wikipedia).
  • Westview Cemetery (Atlanta, GA) — ~582 acres, largest nonprofit cemetery in the Southeast (Wikipedia).

While these standalone sites are massive in acreage, collectively all cemeteries in the U.S. occupy about 2 million acres of land (journals.library.wustl.edu).


✅ Summary Table

Owner TypeEstimated Land AcreageNotes
SCI (corporate giant)~35–63 k acresLargest corporate cemetery landowner
Nonprofit & religious (e.g. Spring Grove, Westview)Hundreds of acres eachMany large standalone cemeteries
Federal/National VA cemeteries~4,000 acres across 156 sitesGovernment‑run veterans cemeteries
Total U.S. cemetery land~2 million acresInclusive of all types of burial grounds

🧾 Final Answer

The primary corporate landowner of cemeteries in the U.S. is Service Corporation International (SCI)—operating nearly 500 cemeteries and managing tens of thousands of acres (estimates range from ~35,000 to ~63,000 acres) (Wikipedia, InvestorRoom, Reference for Business).

That said, independent, nonprofit, religious, and government‑run cemeteries collectively occupy far more land overall, with individual sites often larger than SCI properties—but scattered across many owners.


A breakdown of SCI’s top subsidiaries, landmark cemeteries they own, and a comparison with local municipal cemetery operations —

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the land holdings and ownership structure of Service Corporation International (SCI)—currently the largest corporate cemetery landowner in the U.S.:


🏢 SCI at a Glance

  • Service Corporation International (SCI) is the largest funeral and cemetery services provider in North America, with more than 1,900 funeral homes and cemeteries across 44 U.S. states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Canada (Wikipedia, Service Corp. International InvestorRoom).
  • Previously reported totals include approximately 1,471 funeral homes and 488 cemeteries in the U.S., making up around 16% of the North American funeral and cemetery market (US Funerals Online).

🌳 Land Holdings & Acreage

  • According to SCI’s 2022 Sustainability Report, the company owns about 35,500 acres devoted to cemetery and memorial park green space across North America, the majority of which is in the U.S. (InvestorRoom).
  • Annual investments reflect continued expansion: in 2024, SCI spent \$62.1 million on land acquisitions for new cemetery or funeral locations and acquired 6 cemeteries as part of broader real estate investments totaling \$181 million (Sci Annual Meeting).

📊 Subsidiaries & Brands

SCI operates under a portfolio of regional and national brands, including:

  • Dignity Memorial® – the core North American brand across funeral, cremation, and cemetery services.
  • Additional brands include Neptune Society, National Cremation, and Funeraria Del Angel (serving Hispanic markets) (Service Corporation International).

🪦 Comparison with Other Owners

Other cemetery landowners in the U.S. include:

  • U.S. National Cemetery System, managed by the U.S. Department of the Army, which owns cemeteries like Arlington National Cemetery (~639 acres with over 400,000 interments) (funeraldirectordaily.com, Wikipedia).
  • Municipal and nonprofit cemeteries, which may range from a few dozen to several hundred acres:
  • Oakwood Cemetery (City of Richmond): ~176 acres (Wikipedia).
  • Loudon Park Cemetery (private/local Baltimore): ~500 acres; it was previously owned by SCI via Stewart Enterprises until 2014 (Wikipedia).
  • Smaller private or religious cemeteries like Prospect Hill Cemetery in D.C., at ~9 acres (Wikipedia).

Though some individual cemeteries (e.g., County or nonprofit) exceed SCI’s average per-cemetery acreage, SCI leads corporate ownership by both number of sites and cumulative acreage.


📋 Summary Table

CategoryLand Acreage (Approx.)Notes
SCI (Corporate)~35,500 acresLargest corporate cemetery landowner in the U.S.
Industry market share (across brands)~16% of total U.S. burial services marketCovers 1,900+ locations across North America
Largest independent sites176–500+ acresExamples like Oakwood (~176 ac), Loudon Park (~500 ac)
Federal (VA National Cemeteries)~639 acres at Arlington, plus othersManaged by U.S. Army, ~400,000 interments at Arlington alone

✅ Final Takeaway

  • Service Corporation International (SCI) is the leading corporate landowner of cemetery property in the U.S., with roughly 35,500 acres and nearly 500 cemeteries under its control.
  • While independent, non‑profit, local, or federal cemeteries often hold large properties individually, their ownership is distributed across many entities.
  • Thus, SCI remains the predominant single corporate owner in the U.S. cemetery landscape.

Deeper insight into SCI’s land portfolio by state, their recent acquisitions, and comparisons with major independent cemeteries nationwide —

A detailed breakdown of SCI’s land holdings, subsidiaries, major cemeteries, and comparisons with independent operators — comprehensive overview:


🏢 SCI Overview & Land Holdings

  • Service Corporation International (SCI) operates over 1,900 funeral homes and cemeteries across 44 U.S. states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Canada (Wikipedia).
  • While there’s no updated public estimate for total acreage in 2025, their 2022 Sustainability Report documented 35,500 acres under SCI’s control—mostly in the U.S. (Service Corp. International InvestorRoom, Service Corporation International).
  • In 2024, SCI invested approximately \$181 million in expanding its footprint, acquiring 26 funeral homes and 6 cemeteries, including \$62 million for land acquisitions (PR Newswire).

🧍 Subsidiary & Brand Structure

  • SCI operates under multiple corporate entities and brands—including Dignity Memorial®, National Cremation®, Neptune Society®, Advantage®, and Rose Hills® (a 1,400‑acre site in Whittier, CA) (Service Corporation International).
  • SEC filings reveal state-level subsidiaries in nearly every major U.S. jurisdiction, usually under SCI Funeral Services, LLC or acquisitions of Alderwoods and Stewart firms (SEC).
  • Example acquisitions: Skyline Memorial Park (Monee, IL)—47‑acre facility plus 24 undeveloped acres integrated in 2021 (Partner with SCI).

🌳 Major Cemetery Sites

Corporate-Owned

  • Rose Hills Memorial Park (Whittier, CA): ~1,400 acres, one of the largest in North America. Under SCI via the Rose Hills brand (Service Corporation International).
  • Skyline Memorial Park (Chicago-area): ~47 acres (with undeveloped land for future use) (Partner with SCI).

Independent or Government-Run

  • Arlington National Cemetery (~639 acres): federally operated by the U.S. Department of the Army.
  • Calverton National Cemetery (~1,045 acres): largest VA site in the U.S.
  • Spring Grove Cemetery, Crown Hill, Westview, etc.: regional non‑profit cemeteries ranging between ~550–1,000 acres.

📊 Summary Table

Owner TypeApprox. AcresCharacteristics
SCI (Corporate)~35,500 acres (2022)Largest corporate cemetery owner; growing through acquisitions
Rose Hills (SCI site)~1,400 acresOne of the largest individual properties under SCI
Selected independent sites~500–1,400 acresIndependent/nonprofit or government-administered operators
Total U.S. cemetery land~2 million+ acresSpread across many diverse ownership types (laws, churches, municipalities)

🔍 Insights & Trends

  1. Scale & Reach: SCI’s network gives it unmatched geographic coverage among corporate owners, but their acreage is eclipsed in aggregate by the combined land held by many independent cemeteries.
  2. Acquisition Strategy: Recent years show continued growth—2024’s investments reflect SCI’s focus on expanding into larger markets and households via cemetery property acquisition and new site development (SEC, PR Newswire, rosehills.com, Wikipedia).
  3. Brand Diversity: Through separate regional entities and brands, SCI maintains both national consistency and localized presence—essential for funeral and cemetery service preferences in different markets (SEC, Service Corporation International).

✅ Final Takeaway

  • SCI remains the top corporate landowner of cemeteries in the U.S., holding tens of thousands of acres across hundreds of sites.
  • They continue to grow via acquisitions, maintain a broad brand portfolio, and own major individual cemeteries like Rose Hills.
  • However, independent, nonprofit, and government-managed cemeteries collectively occupy significantly more land overall, even if each is owned by a different entity.

BELOW —

  • A state-by-state breakdown of SCI’s cemetery locations and acreage
  • A list of SCI’s largest individual properties by acreage
  • Comparisons between SCI-owned cemeteries vs. major independent cemetery land holdings

Leave a Comment