From Craig and Klawock to Thorne Bay, Hydaburg, Coffman Cove, Kake and Metlakatla, every community in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area shares one fact: there is no road to mainland Alaska or the Lower 48. Equipment and installers arrive by water or small aircraft, and that shapes how a stair lift project gets planned here.
The census area takes in Prince of Wales Island, the third-largest island in the U.S., along with Annette Island and the Hyder area, a mainland exclave near the Canadian border. It is 100.0% rural, with about 1.42 people per square mile. If you are weighing a stair lift for yourself or a parent, this page covers which homes suit which lifts, why timing matters more here than in most places, and where to ask about funding.
Most housing here falls into a few types: single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes and ranch-style homes. The census counted 3,227 housing units in 2020. Each type points toward a different kind of lift.
A townhouse or two-story single-family home with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest job. A straight rail ships as a standard length and goes in quickly once it arrives.
Split-level homes are trickier. Short flights with landings in between often need either more than one straight lift or a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, and a custom rail takes longer to make and ship. Ranch-style homes may have no inside stairs at all, but entry steps or a basement stair can still be a problem, and that is where an outdoor lift or a platform lift comes into the conversation.
Because the communities are reached only by water or small aircraft, fewer contractors work here, and shipping and travel can add both cost and lead time to any home modification. Craig, the largest community, sits about 56 air miles northwest of Ketchikan and 220 miles south of Juneau, with no road link to either.
In practice, that means measuring carefully the first time and ordering early. A curved rail that has to be remade is a much bigger setback on an island than in a city. If a hospital discharge or a planned move home is coming up, start the conversation well ahead of it.
About 19.0% of residents are 65 or older, and 70.3% are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because a stair lift attaches to the stairs and several funding programs are tied to owner-occupied homes.
If someone in your household served, check the VA programs below before paying out of pocket, even though not every VA grant applies to stair lifts.
The local economy leans on commercial fishing, timber and tourism, and seasonal, resource-based work can make an out-of-pocket home project hard to budget. That makes it worth calling the programs listed below before you commit.
A few of them have rules worth knowing up front. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The state Medicaid waiver and the AHFC Senior Access Program do not name stair lifts on the pages reviewed, so ask them directly about current coverage. SAIL has a by-appointment office in Klawock.
Other statewide programs you can ask about include HomeMAP – Home Modifications for Aging in Place, Alaska Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) and the Alaska Senior Benefits Program. For general guidance, the Alaska Commission on Aging / Senior & Disabilities Services is at (907) 465-3250, and the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs is at (907) 334-0874. Both offices are in Anchorage.
A statewide Medicaid home and community-based waiver for residents 65+ or adults 21-64 with a physical disability who meet nursing-facility level of care; its E-Mod benefit funds home modifications, but stair lift coverage could not be re-confirmed on the current source, so call Senior & Disabilities Services at (800) 478-9996 to ask.
A state grant for accessibility modifications in the homes of Alaskans 55+ who meet income limits, applied for through a regional nonprofit; the program page does not mention stair lifts or confirm whether this census area is in its service map, so call Regan Mattingly at (907) 330-8235.
A lifetime VA benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for structural changes to a veteran's primary residence. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA lists stair glides as removable equipment excluded from HISA.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or adapt a home they own or will own; stair lifts are not named in the program description, so call the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to adapt their own home or a family member's; stair lifts are not named, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 whether your project qualifies.
A center for independent living serving people of all ages with disabilities, with a by-appointment office in Klawock; its pages do not currently mention stair lifts, so call (877) 658-2412 to ask about funding or referrals.
Older adults
550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1600, Anchorage, 99501
Veterans
4600 DeBarr Road, Suite 180, Anchorage, 99508
There is no road connection between the island communities and mainland Alaska or the Lower 48, so equipment and installers come by water or small aircraft. That limits how many contractors work here and can add shipping and travel cost and lead time.
Not through the HISA grant, which lists stair glides as excluded equipment. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability should call the VA at (800) 827-1000. The Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs at (907) 334-0874 can also help.
The ALI Medicaid waiver includes adults 21-64 with a physical disability, and the AHFC Senior Access Program starts at age 55. SAIL serves people of all ages with disabilities.
SAIL has an office in Klawock that sees people by appointment. Call (877) 658-2412 to set one up and ask whether stair lift help is available.
Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, which may call for more than one straight lift or a curved rail made to fit. A custom rail has a longer lead time, so it helps to get measured early.
The ALI waiver's Environmental Modification benefit funds home changes, but the current source could not be checked for stair lifts specifically. Call Senior & Disabilities Services at (800) 478-9996 to confirm before planning around it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
