Most of Tazewell County's 107,393 residents live along its western edge, close to the Illinois River, in Pekin, East Peoria, Creve Coeur, Marquette Heights and North Pekin. Farther east, the county opens into farmland and small towns like Morton, Washington, Tremont, Mackinaw, Delavan, Minier, Hopedale and Armington. The homes in these places differ, and so do the stairs inside and outside them.
East Peoria was first settled on a swampy floodplain and saw notable flooding as recently as April 2013. Homes there and along the river bluffs often sit at grade changes, so a front entry or a basement stair can be the step that decides whether someone stays home. This page walks through how local houses affect stair lift choices and who to call about paying for one.
Tazewell County covers 658 square miles along the Illinois River, with the Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area running parallel to it. Close to the river, many houses are built up off the floodplain or set into the bluffs. That often means a run of steps just to reach the front door.
For those entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. Where the steps are few and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense. We look at the slope, the landing space and the path to the door before suggesting either one.
Split-level homes are common here, and they bring short flights between floors instead of one long staircase. A short, straight flight is usually the simplest install. When a staircase turns at a landing, a curved rail is built to follow it.
Townhouses often have a single straight flight to the bedrooms, which suits a straight stair lift. In walk-up apartments, the stairs are shared, so the building owner has to approve any installation before work begins.
About 18.8% of county residents are 65 or older, and 74.8% of households own their home. Owners can make permanent changes like a stair lift without asking anyone's permission, which makes planning easier.
If that includes you or a parent, the veteran programs below are worth a call before you decide how to pay. There is no VA facility listed for the county in our records, so the local Veteran's Assistance office in Pekin is the place to start.
Roughly 78.2% of the county lives in urban areas and 21.8% in more rural, spread-out settings. Rural location matters for one funding source: the USDA Section 504 program generally serves towns under 35,000 people, which covers most of the county outside Pekin and East Peoria.
Farmhouses in places like Deer Creek, Green Valley or Heritage Lake can have older, steeper stairs or outside steps down to a basement. Those details shape the rail type and whether an outdoor model is needed.
Most programs available here fund home modifications or in-home care in general and do not name stair lifts. One, the VA HISA grant, specifically excludes stair glides. That means you should call and ask directly whether a stair lift can be approved before you count on any program.
Age matters for which state program applies. The Illinois Community Care Program serves people 60 and older, while the Home Services Program generally serves people under 60 with severe disabilities. Statewide resources also include the IATP ATLOAN$ Program and the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, which you can ask about when you call.
Each program is summarized below with the phone number to call.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a home, with FY2026 maximums of up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA. The program describes ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts; call VA at (800) 827-1000.
Funds medically needed home changes for disabled veterans, up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities. It explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift; VA's benefits line is (800) 827-1000.
In-home services for Illinois residents 60 and older who are enrolled in Medicaid and have non-exempt assets of $17,500 or less. Its listed services do not include home modifications or stair lifts; call the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966.
Serves Illinois residents with severe disabilities, generally under 60, and includes environmental modification and assistive equipment categories. Stair lifts are not named, so ask about them by calling (800) 843-6154, or TTY (866) 324-5553.
The Peoria-based area agency on aging at 700 Hamilton Boulevard offers chore help, durable medical equipment and Veteran-Directed Care for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers. Home modifications and stair lifts are not mentioned; call (309) 674-2071 to ask.
A free program for income-eligible Illinois homeowners, or renters with landlord approval, that funds exterior ramps and interior accessibility changes; stair lifts are not named and there is an 800+ person waiting list. Call (217) 525-1308 or toll-free (800) 587-1227.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older in eligible rural areas with income at or below 50% of area median; listed accessibility repairs include ramps and grab bars but not stair lifts. Contact your local USDA Rural Development office to apply.
Helps honorably discharged veterans who have lived in the county at least 6 months with VA claims, rental assistance and other needs; home modification is not listed. Call (309) 477-2271 or visit 414 Court St, Pekin, to ask about accessibility needs.
Older adults
700 Hamilton Boulevard, Peoria, 61603
Veterans
414 Court St, Pekin, 61554
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants fund home modifications for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so call VA at (800) 827-1000 to ask.
The Illinois Home Services Program generally serves people under 60 with severe disabilities and includes environmental modification and assistive equipment. Call (800) 843-6154 and ask whether a stair lift can be included in a service plan.
Possibly. The USDA Section 504 program covers eligible rural areas, generally towns under 35,000 people, which includes most of the county outside Pekin and East Peoria. Grants are for owners 62 and older with income at or below 50% of area median; contact your local USDA Rural Development office.
The landlord has to approve it, since the stairs are part of the building. The Home Modification Program run through Centers for Independent Living accepts renters with landlord approval; call (217) 525-1308.
Raised entries are common near the river in places like East Peoria. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift are the usual choices, depending on how many steps there are and whether a wheelchair is used.
The Central Illinois Agency on Aging is at 700 Hamilton Boulevard in Peoria. Their phone is (309) 674-2071.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
