Franklin, founded April 14, 1860, is Idaho's oldest permanent non-native settlement. Weston followed in 1865, Preston and Dayton in 1868, and Clifton in 1869. Many homes across these towns were built long before anyone planned for accessibility, so stairs are part of daily life for a lot of people aging in place.
This page walks through how the county's single-family, ranch-style and split-level homes tend to shape stair lift choices. It also lists the programs that may help with the cost and the local offices to call. Preston, the county seat, is the only city of significant size, and most of the county is spread out over open country at the northern edge of Cache Valley.
Most housing here is single-family and detached, including ranch-style and split-level homes. Older homes in a historically agricultural county were usually built without accessibility features, so multi-level layouts with stairs are common.
Split-level homes deserve a close look. They often have more than one short flight between levels, and each flight may need its own lift or a curved rail that follows a turn. A straight staircase with no landing is usually the simplest and least costly install.
Where a home has a turn, a landing or steps leading outside, the options widen to curved, outdoor or platform lifts. Measuring the actual staircase is the only way to know which one fits.
Franklin County covers 668 square miles with about 21.4 people per square mile, based on the 2020 census. That spread means longer drives to medical providers and to mobility equipment installers.
Plan the assessment, the install and any follow-up service visit with that distance in mind. It helps to gather your questions, measurements and funding paperwork before the first visit so fewer trips are needed. The county borders Cache County, Utah, and is part of the Logan, UT-ID Metropolitan Statistical Area.
About 14.5% of residents are 65 or older, and 73.8% of households own their homes. Owning the home matters, because a stair lift is installed on your staircase and several aid programs require that you own and live in the house.
If a veteran lives in the home, talk with the Franklin County Service Officer in Preston at (208) 852-2259 before buying, since VA rules on stair lifts are specific.
As of the 2010 census, median household income in the county was $45,682. For many families that means looking at grants, loans or waiver services instead of paying the full cost out of pocket.
Be clear-eyed about what each program says. The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The other programs listed below fund home modifications or services in general but do not name stair lifts, so call and ask directly before you count on them.
For aging services, the Area V AAA office is at 214 E. Center, Pocatello, ID 83201, phone (208) 233-4032. Veterans can visit the Franklin County Service Officer at 1655 North 800 West, Preston, ID 83263, phone (208) 852-2259.
An Idaho Medicaid waiver for people 65+ or adults 18-64 with a qualifying disability who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid income limits; it lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a service, but stair lifts are not named. Call (866) 849-3843.
Offers information, referral, caregiver support, in-home services and transportation for adults 60+ and vulnerable adults 18+ in southeastern Idaho; stair lift funding is not listed, so ask directly. Call (208) 542-8179.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 for service-connected disabilities (or compensable disabilities rated 50%+) and $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 (up to $50,961 for a temporary residence adaptation) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home; stair lifts are not named among the example improvements. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 (up to $9,100 for a temporary residence adaptation) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands; it funds modifications to an owned home, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit whose Pocatello office serves Pocatello, Preston and surrounding areas for people with disabilities; no stair lift funding is listed, so contact them directly. Call (208) 232-2747.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, up to $50,000 combined, for very-low-income owners in rural areas; accessibility work like ramps can qualify, but stair lifts are not named. Call (208) 785-2090.
Older adults
214 E. Center, Pocatello, 83201
Veterans
1655 North 800 West, Preston, 83263
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not. The SAH and SHA grants fund home changes for veterans with certain serious disabilities but do not name stair lifts. Call the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Franklin County Service Officer at (208) 852-2259 to ask about your situation.
The Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a service, but the program page does not name stair lifts. Coverage would depend on an individual plan of care. Call (866) 849-3843 to ask.
Yes, possibly. The A&D Medicaid waiver includes adults 18-64 with a qualifying disability, and AAA East serves vulnerable adults 18+. LIFE, A Center for Independent Living serves people with disabilities in the Preston area at (208) 232-2747.
The grant portion requires the homeowner to be 62 or older and unable to repay a repair loan. You must also own and live in the home and have very low income. Call (208) 785-2090.
It can. Split-level homes often have more than one short flight of stairs, and each flight may need its own lift or a curved rail. An in-home measurement shows what will fit.
The Area V AAA office is at 214 E. Center, Pocatello, ID 83201, phone (208) 233-4032. AAA East / EICAP Senior Services can also be reached at (208) 542-8179.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
