Bacon County is flat coastal-plain country in the Satilla River basin, with Alma as its county seat and only town. Most homes here are single-story ranch-style houses, manufactured homes and detached single-family homes, with some split-level homes mixed in. Full staircases are less common than in cities, but steps still show up at the front porch, on raised foundations and between the levels of a split-level house.
Those few steps are often where trouble starts for someone who wants to stay at home. This page walks through which kind of stair lift fits the homes we see in and around Alma, what the county's rural setting means for scheduling an install, and which state, federal and local programs may help with the cost.
The 2022 median owner-occupied home value in Bacon County was about $95,600, and roughly 53% of housing units were valued under $100,000. That points to modest, mostly single-story construction. Many of these homes were built before no-step entries and universal-design features were standard.
In a split-level home, a short straight stair lift can carry a person between the half levels. Straight units are usually the simplest to fit because the rail runs in one line from bottom to top. If the stair turns or has a landing, a curved lift with a custom rail is the option to look at.
On a ranch-style or manufactured home, the hardest climb is often outside. Raised foundations mean several steps up to the front or back door, and that is where an outdoor stair lift comes in. Outdoor models are built to sit outside on porch or entry steps.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a seat on a rail may not solve the problem. A platform lift carries the person and the chair together, and it can be a better match for an entry with several steps.
Bacon County covers 286 square miles and is classified as 100% rural, with 0.0% of residents living in an urban area as of the 2020 census. Specialized technicians, including stair lift installers, most often travel in from larger nearby places such as Waycross, Douglas or Brunswick rather than working out of Alma.
It helps to have a few things ready before the home visit: a count of the steps, whether the stair is straight or turns, and whether the steps are indoors or out. That way the right kind of lift can be discussed at the first visit.
As of the 2020 census, 17.3% of Bacon County residents were age 65 or older, out of a population of 11,140. The 2022 median household income was $43,938. With many people on modest fixed incomes, low-cost or subsidized ways to pay for accessibility work matter a great deal here.
If a parent or spouse served, ask about VA help early, since some VA grants cover home adaptations and one specifically does not cover stair lifts.
Only some programs name home modifications as a covered service. The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) lists home modifications for adults age 21 to 64 who qualify, and USDA Section 504 grant funds can be used to make a home accessible for a household member with a disability. Other programs below either focus on ramps or do not mention stair lifts at all.
The Southern Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Waycross, at (912) 285-6097, is a good first call for older adults. Other statewide programs to ask about include the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program, the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and the SOURCE Waiver. Veterans can reach the Waycross Veterans Field Service Office at (912) 287-6970.
A home modification program for older adults in the 18-county Southern Georgia service area, which includes Bacon County; the source describes it as ramp construction and does not mention stair lifts. Call (888) 732-4464 to ask what is available locally.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or younger people who meet disability criteria, who meet nursing-home level of care; its listed services do not mention home modifications or stair lifts. Call (866) 552-4464, and expect a possible waitlist.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for adults age 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury, and home modifications are a listed covered service. Services are waitlist-based; call (800) 982-0411.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62 and older in eligible rural areas, and grant funds can make a home accessible for a household member with a disability. Bacon County is expected to qualify, but check your address on USDA's eligibility map.
VA grants for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026; the VA describes adaptations in general terms and does not list stair lifts. The Waycross Veterans Field Service Office at (912) 287-6970 can help with questions.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status for medically needed structural changes, but it does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded. It can still help with structural work tied to a qualifying disability.
A center for independent living serving Bacon and nearby southeast Georgia counties that takes applications for home modifications and assistive technology that increase accessibility; stair lifts are not named on its list. Call (912) 920-2414 to ask about applying.
Older adults
1725 South Georgia Parkway, W., Waycross, 31503
Veterans
415 Lott St., Waycross, 31501
Because Bacon County is entirely rural, specialized installers most often travel in from larger nearby places such as Waycross, Douglas or Brunswick. Plan on a scheduled visit rather than a same-day stop.
It can. Many homes here sit on raised foundations with porch steps at the door, and an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those entry steps.
The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves adults age 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet Medicaid rules, and it lists home modifications. Call (800) 982-0411.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants cover home adaptations in general terms without listing stair lifts, so ask the Waycross Veterans Field Service Office at (912) 287-6970.
USDA Section 504 grant funds may be used to make a home accessible and usable for a household member with a disability. Grants go up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62 and older, and must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years.
Start with the Southern Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Waycross at (912) 285-6097. Programs in this region are often run through local organizations, so they can tell you what is offered for Bacon County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
