Fall River and New Bedford were built fast. The cotton-textile and whaling booms of the 19th century filled both cities with wood-framed, multi-family triple-decker tenements, and Fall River alone saw over 12,000 units of company housing go up for mill workers. Many of those homes are still lived in by the families who bought them, and none were built with accessibility codes in mind.
Beyond the mill cities, Bristol County's 28 towns run from Taunton and Attleboro to quieter places like Rehoboth, Dighton, Berkley, Freetown and Westport. The housing changes as you go: single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. This page explains which stair lift suits which kind of home, and which local and state programs may help with the cost.
A triple-decker usually means stairs on every level, often with a turn or landing between floors. A straight stair lift works when a flight runs from bottom to top with no bend. If the stairs turn at a landing, a curved rail is built to follow that exact path.
In the older mill neighborhoods, the stairs that matter most are often the ones to the front or back door. When an outdoor flight is the problem, an outdoor-rated stair lift or a platform lift can be considered. Some families pair a lift with a first-floor bedroom or bathroom conversion, or an exterior ramp, which are common projects in this housing stock.
Split-level homes are a common reason people call us. Their short half-flights look easy until climbing them becomes hard several times a day. Each short run can often take its own straight lift, and a single curved rail is another option when the flights connect.
Townhouses and single-family homes in towns like Easton, Mansfield, Norton, Raynham and Seekonk tend to have one main staircase to the bedrooms. That is usually the simplest install: one straight rail along one flight. Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are different, since shared stairways generally need the building owner's approval before anything is attached.
About 17.5% of Bristol County's 586,145 residents are 65 or older, and 63.7% of households own their home. Ownership matters because most of the funding programs below require the home to be your primary residence and, in most cases, that you own it.
The VA offers housing benefits, though the rules on stair lifts are strict, as explained in the program list.
The county is relatively flat, with a highest point of only about 390 feet at Sunrise Hill/Watery Hill in North Attleborough. Steep hillside driveways are less of an issue here than the stairs inside and at the entry of the home itself.
About 20% of the county's area is water, with Buzzards Bay and Mount Hope Bay along the south. For homes near the shore in places like Fairhaven, Dartmouth or Westport, an exterior lift should be one built for outdoor use.
Income varies a lot across the county. Per-capita income in Fall River and New Bedford is well below that of the more affluent inland towns, so many families here look for a grant or loan rather than paying out of pocket.
None of the programs below names stair lifts in its published materials, and the VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. Several do cover lifts, accessibility renovations or home modifications in general terms, so call the program and ask whether your specific project qualifies before you sign anything.
A good first call is Bristol Elder Services at (508) 675-2101 in Fall River, which serves as the county's Aging Services Access Point and the intake point for MassHealth waivers. Residents of New Bedford and Fall River should also check their city programs. Those in smaller towns such as Rehoboth, Dighton, Berkley, Freetown and Westport may qualify for USDA rural help.
A statewide MassHealth waiver for members age 65+ (or 60-64 with a disability) who need nursing facility level of care; home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and doorway widening are set through an individual service plan, but stair lifts are not named in its materials. Call (800) 243-4636, and Bristol County residents are routed through Bristol Elder Services in Fall River.
Offers 0% interest, deferred-payment loans up to $50,000 for Massachusetts homeowners (up to $30,000 for manufactured or mobile homes), repaid only when the home is sold or transferred, for households with someone who has a disability or is over 60. Its list of eligible work includes ramps and lifts but does not name stair lifts specifically, so confirm your project at (866) 500-5599.
A city grant of up to $18,000 for income-eligible New Bedford homeowners with a household member who has a physical disability, paid after the approved project is finished. It is described as covering ramps, lifts and accessible bathrooms, but stair lifts are not named, so call (508) 979-1500 to confirm.
Deferred assistance of up to $15,000 per unit for handicap accessibility renovations in owner-occupied Fall River homes, with combined help across all categories capped at $30,000. The city lists accessibility renovations in general terms without itemizing stair lifts; call (508) 324-2000.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, for very-low-income owners in USDA-eligible rural areas, which may include towns like Rehoboth, Dighton, Berkley, Freetown and Westport but generally not denser Fall River, New Bedford or Taunton parcels. Stair lifts are not named in its materials, so check your address and project with the Wareham office at (508) 295-5151.
A lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 (or $2,000 for other eligible veterans) for medically necessary structural changes such as built-in entrance ramps and bathroom access. The VA states that HISA does not cover stair glides or porch lifts; call (401) 273-7100 for other options.
A grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to make an owned home wheelchair accessible. Stair lifts are not listed on the VA's page, so ask about your project at (401) 273-7100.
A smaller grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. The VA does not list stair lifts as a covered item; call (401) 273-7100.
The county's aging services office in Fall River, offering information and referral, case management and access to MassHealth waivers and home care for residents 60+; it does not run its own stair lift or home modification grant. Call (508) 675-2101.
A Fall River nonprofit serving people with disabilities in Southeastern Massachusetts, including Bristol County, with help applying for, acquiring and borrowing assistive technology and a medical equipment donation site. It does not offer a stair lift grant, but it can point you to resources at (508) 679-9210.
Older adults
1 Father DeValles Blvd, Suite 101, Fall River, 02723
Veterans
755 Pine Street, Fall River, 02720
Often, yes. A straight flight takes a straight rail, and stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail made to fit. Because triple-deckers are multi-family buildings, any shared stairway should be cleared with the owner first.
The MassHealth Frail Elder Waiver (FEW) can cover home modifications like ramps, grab bars and doorway widening through an individual plan, but stair lifts are not named in its materials. Ask Bristol Elder Services at (508) 675-2101 or call (800) 243-4636.
Some programs start younger. The Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP) is open to households with someone over 60 or with a disability, and the Frail Elder Waiver accepts people 60-64 with a disability. Bristol Elder Services serves residents 60+.
The HISA benefit does not; the VA states it excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either, but you can ask about your situation at (401) 273-7100 or the Veterans Association of Bristol County at (508) 679-9277.
Possibly. Smaller towns such as Rehoboth, Dighton, Berkley, Freetown and Westport may fall in USDA-eligible rural areas, while denser parts of Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton generally do not. Eligibility is checked by exact address, and income limits apply; call (508) 295-5151.
Yes. New Bedford's Housing Accessibility Program offers grants up to $18,000, call (508) 979-1500. Fall River's Homeowner Rehabilitation Program offers up to $15,000 for accessibility renovations, call (508) 324-2000. Neither names stair lifts, so confirm before starting.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
