Facts and sources
Where our numbers come from.
A few pages on this site use statistics about grief. This page lists each one, where it appears, and the study or data it rests on, so you can check our work.
Last reviewed September 11, 2026
About 400,000 New Yorkers are newly bereaved each year
Where it appears: the About page.
This is our estimate, and a conservative one. New York City records roughly 60,000 deaths a year, about 15,000 each quarter, according to the NYC Health Department's vital statistics. A 2020 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that each death leaves about nine close relatives grieving, counting grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, and children (Verdery et al., PNAS 2020). Multiplying the two gives more than 500,000 people a year. We say 400,000 to stay well inside the evidence.
1 in 11 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18
Where it appears: the About page.
From the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model, built by Judi's House and the JAG Institute with the New York Life Foundation and updated each year from CDC mortality data. The June 2025 release puts the national figure at 1 in 11 U.S. children, about 6.4 million (Judi's House, 2025 CBEM report; the CBEM dashboard has state and county figures). Earlier editions said 1 in 14, then 1 in 13 and 1 in 12; the rate has been rising.
$226 billion a year: what unsupported grief costs U.S. companies
Where it appears: the Workplace Grief Support page.
The Grief Recovery Institute's Grief Index estimated the annual cost of unsupported grief to U.S. businesses at $225.8 billion in lost productivity, absenteeism, turnover, and related impacts, based on about 30 lost workdays per grieving employee per year. The figure is often misattributed to the CDC in articles; it is the Institute's. Reported in, among others, The Hill and StrategicCHRO360.
1 in 2 employees want their employer to better support disruptive life events
Where it appears: the Workplace Grief Support page.
From Empathy's Workplace Benefits Report, a survey of more than 5,500 employees and benefits decision-makers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which found that nearly half of employees expect formal support from their employer during a major life disruption (Empathy, 2026 Workplace Benefits Report).
95% of employees want bereavement support in the workplace
Where it appears: the Workplace Grief Support page.
From the same Empathy report: 95% of employees said bereavement-related benefits are valuable to them, while far fewer employers offer them (summary in HR Executive).
A question about a figure?
We review this page whenever a statistic on the site changes. If you think something here is out of date, email info@ourhousenyc.org and we'll look into it.
