Crawford County sits in the wooded hills of South Central Indiana, and many of those hills are steep. Part of the Hoosier National Forest lies inside the county, and homes in English, Marengo, Milltown and Leavenworth are often set on sloped lots where a raised entry or a second level was the practical way to build.
That layout works well for decades, then the stairs start to matter. This page walks through how the county's split-level, ranch-style and single-family homes usually match up with indoor and outdoor stair lifts, and which state, federal and local programs a Crawford County family can call about costs.
On steep ground, a house often ends up with steps somewhere you did not plan for: a run of exterior stairs up to the front door, a walkout basement, or a short flight between levels. Split-level homes are common here, and they tend to have two or more short flights instead of one long one.
A ranch-style home looks like it should be free of stairs, but on a hillside lot the problem usually moves outside. Porch steps and a raised entry can be the only barrier between someone and the car, the mailbox or a doctor's appointment.
A straight stair lift fits a single flight with no turns or landings. It is the simplest install and the one most detached houses with a standard staircase can take.
If the staircase turns, has a landing, or splits off in a split-level, a curved lift with a custom rail is usually the answer. For exterior steps on a raised entry, an outdoor lift built for weather is the usual choice, and a platform lift makes sense when someone needs to stay in a wheelchair.
We measure every staircase in person before recommending anything. In a county with older, longer-held homes, small things like step depth, railing placement and doorways at the top of the stairs often decide which lift will work.
Many of them live in homes they have owned for years; the median property value is around $117,700, which points to older single-family houses rather than new subdivisions.
About 12.5% of the population was reported living with severe housing problems as of 2025. With a median household income of about $49,640, below the statewide figure, many families here will want to check funding before paying out of pocket.
The best first call for most older residents is Hoosier Uplands (PSA 15) at (812) 849-4457, located at 521 W. Main St. in Mitchell. It is the local intake point for the CHOICE Program and Indiana PathWays for Aging, both of which list home modifications among their services.
Rural homeowners with low incomes can look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, and Crawford County qualifies as rural. None of these programs name stair lifts specifically, so ask directly whether a lift can be covered under home or environmental modifications.
Veterans should start with the Crawford County Veterans Service Officer at 743 East State Road 64 in English, phone (812) 338-3141. Note that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, so the officer can help sort out which VA options might apply instead.
A Medicaid managed-care waiver for people 60 or older who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits; it lists home modification assessments and home modifications among its benefits, but stair lifts are not named. Call the helpline at (877) 284-9294.
A state-funded program for people 60 or older or with a disability who are at risk of losing independence, run through Indiana's 16 Area Agencies on Aging; environmental modification is a covered service, though stair lifts are not itemized. Call (800) 986-3505.
The designated aging agency for Crawford, Lawrence, Orange and Washington counties, handling intake, case management and referrals for CHOICE, PathWays for Aging and other in-home services; it does not list a stair lift program of its own. Call (812) 849-4457.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for homeowners 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, for very-low-income owners in eligible rural areas like Crawford County. Sources mention ramps and grab bars as examples but do not name stair lifts.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 lifetime for qualifying service-connected disabilities, or $2,000 for other disabilities, for medically necessary home changes. It explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Grants for homeowning veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA gives ramps and doorway widening as examples but does not say whether stair lifts are covered. Call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit in Mitchell serving people with disabilities in an area that includes Crawford County, offering information, referral, peer support and advocacy rather than cash grants; no stair lift program is listed. Call (812) 277-9626.
Older adults
521 W. Main St., Mitchell, 47446
Veterans
743 East State Road 64, English, 47118
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps like the raised entries common on Crawford County's hillside lots. We look at the run of steps and the ground at the top and bottom before recommending one.
Usually, though split-level homes often have more than one short flight. A straight lift may handle a single flight, while turns or landings call for a curved rail, which we confirm by measuring in person.
Both Indiana PathWays for Aging and the CHOICE Program list home or environmental modifications as covered services, but neither names stair lifts. Call Hoosier Uplands at (812) 849-4457 to ask whether a lift can be included in a care plan.
CHOICE also serves people with a disability who are at risk of losing independence, not only those 60 or older. The Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living at (812) 277-9626 can also point people with disabilities toward resources.
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not say either way, so talk with the Crawford County Veterans Service Officer in English at (812) 338-3141 about your situation.
USDA Section 504 helps very-low-income homeowners in rural areas like Crawford County with repairs and accessibility, but the sources reviewed do not name stair lifts. Ask the program directly whether a lift qualifies before you apply.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
