From Grove Hill and Jackson to Thomasville, Coffeeville, Fulton and Whatley, Clarke County is spread across roughly 1,238 square miles of land, which makes it the third-largest county in Alabama by land area. The Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers run through and along the county, and homes sit far apart, often down long roads from the nearest town.
Most people here live in single-family homes, detached houses and ranch-style homes, with some low-rise buildings in the towns. This page walks through what that housing means for a stair lift, how distance affects scheduling, and which programs may help with the cost.
A ranch-style home may have no interior staircase at all, but it often still has steps up to a porch or a raised entry. For those, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the door is usually the better fit than an indoor unit.
Two-story detached houses with a single straight run of stairs are the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and is the quickest to fit.
Stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved lift, built to the exact shape of the staircase. That takes measuring first and more lead time before installation.
Per the 2020 census, 100% of Clarke County residents lived in rural areas. With long travel distances between homes and services, many residents rely on equipment and modification providers based outside the county, such as in Mobile, and that can stretch the wait for an in-home visit.
It helps to plan ahead. Measure or photograph the stairs and the entry steps, note where the nearest outlet is, and have the questions about funding sorted before the assessment so one trip can cover the most ground.
About 20.0% of Clarke County residents are 65 or older, and 67.0% are homeowners. That adds up to many people aging in homes they own, rather than in senior housing complexes.
If that includes someone in your family, the Clarke County Veterans Service Office at 120 Court Street in Grove Hill, (251) 275-3374, can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
The 2024 median household income in the county was $49,249 and the poverty rate was 20.1%, so a large out-of-pocket purchase is hard for many households. Medicaid waivers, USDA repair help, VA grants and nonprofit programs are the main places to look.
The Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver and the Independent Living Center of Mobile (ILCM) both list home modifications as a service. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so veterans should ask about other VA options instead.
Statewide, the Alabama Ability Loan Program (STAR / Southern Disability Foundation) and the Alabama Senior / Disabled Homestead Exemption (H-2 / H-3) are also worth asking about. Details for each program are listed below.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or younger if disabled, who need nursing-facility level of care; home modifications are a listed covered service, with a 2026 single-applicant income limit of $2,982 a month and an asset limit of $2,000. Call (877) 425-2243, and note that Clarke County residents screen through ATRC Aging.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older with a physical disability that began before age 63 and requires nursing-home-level care; the current source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (800) 362-1504 to ask what is covered.
Helps adults with disabilities or long-term illnesses who live in a nursing home move back to a home or community setting, with about 200 statewide slots. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned in the source; call ATRC Aging at (334) 682-5206.
The local intake and referral office for Medicaid waiver screening and other aging services for Clarke and nine other counties, based at 3 Camden Bypass in Camden. It does not list a stair lift grant itself; call (334) 682-5206 or (888) 617-0500.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in a 16-county Southwest Alabama area that includes Clarke County, and home modifications are among its most frequently provided services. Call (251) 460-0301 to confirm what is currently funded.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, to repair homes and remove health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call the Bay Minette office at (251) 937-3297, ext. 4.
Pays for medically necessary permanent home alterations, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are excluded.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH or $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for permanent modifications. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; the Clarke County Veterans Service Office at (251) 275-3374 can help with an application.
Older adults
110 Beauregard Street, Suite 207, Mobile, 36602
Veterans
120 Court Street, Grove Hill, 36451
The Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver lists home modifications as a covered service, though stair lifts are not named individually. Screening for Clarke County residents goes through ATRC Aging at (334) 682-5206.
Yes, possibly. The E&D Waiver accepts people younger than 65 if they are disabled, and the Independent Living Center of Mobile (ILCM) serves people with disabilities in Clarke County regardless of age and lists home modifications among its services. Call ILCM at (251) 460-0301.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so talk with the Clarke County Veterans Service Office in Grove Hill at (251) 275-3374 about your situation.
Yes. For entry steps outside the house, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is usually the right choice, and it is often simpler than an indoor curved lift.
Clarke County covers about 1,238 square miles, and many providers are based outside the county, such as in Mobile. Long drives between rural homes can stretch wait times, so it helps to schedule early and have stair photos and funding questions ready.
USDA Section 504 grants of up to $10,000 are available to very-low-income homeowners 62 and older to remove health and safety hazards, but stair lifts are not specifically listed. The grant must be repaid if the home is sold within three years. Call (251) 937-3297, ext. 4 to ask.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
