Driggs sits at 6,145 feet at the base of the Big Hole Mountains and the Teton Range, and it averages 68.8 inches of snow a year. Between Victor, Driggs and Tetonia, the homes we see run from older two-story buildings near downtown Driggs to dispersed ranch and vacation properties out in Teton Valley. A lot of them were built without single-level or step-free access.
That matters when a parent starts gripping the railing a little harder. A stair lift can keep the upstairs bedroom or the basement laundry in use, but the right model depends on the shape of the staircase and on what happens outside the front door from December through January. This page walks through those choices and the programs that may help with costs.
Most homes here are single-family homes and detached houses, with some townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes in the mix. A straight staircase with no landing is the simplest case. It usually takes a straight rail mounted to the stair treads, not the wall.
Split-level homes are different. The short runs between levels often have a turn or a landing, which can call for a curved rail built to fit that staircase, or two straight lifts on separate flights. Walk-up apartments and townhouses can have narrow stairs, so we measure width and the space at the top and bottom before recommending anything.
Older two-story structures, like the ones in historic downtown Driggs, often have steep or tight stairs. Those need a careful look at clearance and where the rail will end so a person can step off safely.
Driggs gets about 19.1 inches of snow in December and 15.7 inches in January on average, and record lows have reached -50°F. For a ranch house or cabin with porch or deck steps, the outside stairs can be harder to manage than the inside ones.
An outdoor stair lift is built for weather, but it still has to be planned around snow clearing and ice. Where steps are few and a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift may be a better fit than a seat lift. We look at the entry, the drainage and where snow piles up before choosing.
In 2020, Teton County had 5,815 housing units with a 25% vacancy rate, and Driggs showed 23.7% vacancy, a pattern that fits a valley with many seasonal and second homes. If a family vacation place is turning into a full-time home for an older relative, the stairs are worth checking early.
Among occupied homes, 72.5% were owner-occupied in 2020. Owners can usually install a lift without a landlord's sign-off, while renters in walk-up apartments or townhouses should ask the owner first.
Teton County skews young. Countywide, 12.8% of residents were 65 or older in 2020, and Driggs has a median age of 33.5 with 10.4% of residents 65 and over. Services are concentrated in Driggs, so planning ahead helps when help is a drive away.
Teton County Veteran Services in Driggs is a local place to start.
None of the three programs listed below names stair lifts in its published materials, so call before you count on any of them. Idaho Medicaid's waiver does list environmental accessibility adaptations and specialized medical equipment as service categories, which is the closest match.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at the VA housing grants, and statewide there are VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Other statewide options to ask about include the Idaho Assistive Technology Project and its Low-Interest Financial Loan Program, and the Idaho Property Tax Reduction (Circuit Breaker). Teton County Veteran Services is at 150 Courthouse Drive, Room 208, Driggs, 83422, phone (208) 776-8111.
EICAP's Idaho Falls office runs in-home homemaker and chore services, mainly for people 60 and older, on a funding-limited sliding scale; stair lifts and structural home modifications are not listed. Call (208) 522-5391 or 1-800-632-4813 and confirm Teton County is on the active service list.
This state Medicaid waiver serves Idaho residents 65 and older or with a qualifying disability who meet income and resource guidelines, and it lists environmental accessibility adaptations and specialized medical equipment as services. Stair lifts are not specifically listed, so ask about them when building a care plan.
These VA grants help veterans with specific service-connected disabilities change their homes, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; stair lifts are not named, though ramps and widened doorways are given as examples. Teton County Veteran Services at (208) 776-8111 can help with next steps.
Older adults
420 N. Holmes Ave., Idaho Falls, 83401
Veterans
150 Courthouse Drive, Room 208, Driggs, 83422
Often, yes. Split-level homes have short runs with turns or landings, so the answer may be a curved rail made for that staircase or separate straight lifts on each run. A measurement of the stairs and landings decides it.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather, but Driggs averages 68.8 inches of snow a year and has seen record lows of -50°F. Plan for snow clearing and ice around the rail, and consider a vertical platform lift for short entries where a wheelchair is used.
EICAP's in-home services are mainly for people 60 and older, with limited funding for younger people with disabilities in some cases. The Idaho Medicaid waiver covers people with a qualifying disability determination as well as those 65 and older.
The Medicaid waiver lists environmental accessibility adaptations and specialized medical equipment as services, but its page does not mention stair lifts. Ask about them during the care plan process before you buy.
Teton County Veteran Services is at 150 Courthouse Drive, Room 208, Driggs, 83422, phone (208) 776-8111. They can help you look at VA housing grants and other VA benefits.
The Area VI AAA, run by EICAP, is at 420 N. Holmes Ave., Idaho Falls, 83401. Call (208) 522-5391 to confirm services reach your part of Teton County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
