From Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah, most of Dukes County sits on Martha's Vineyard, an island of roughly 96 square miles with no bridge or causeway to the mainland. Every stair lift, rail section and spare part arrives by the Steamship Authority car ferry from Woods Hole, and that shapes how we plan an installation here.
The homes matter just as much as the ferry schedule. About 20% of the county's housing was built before 1939, and many of those houses have the multi-story, narrow-staircase layouts common in older New England construction. This page walks through what that means for choosing a lift and where island families can look for help paying for one.
A narrow staircase in a pre-1939 house is the most common reason a family in Dukes County asks us whether a lift will even fit. Straight stair lifts mount to the treads, not the wall, and a slim rail can often work on a tight staircase as long as the steps run in one line from bottom to top.
Older homes often have turns, landings or winders partway up. Those stairs need a curved lift with a rail built to the exact shape of the staircase, which means careful measuring before anything is ordered.
Roughly half of the county's housing was built after 1980. Those newer stairs are often wider and straighter, which usually makes a straight lift the simpler choice.
Housing here includes single-family homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. A split-level often has two or more short flights, and each flight may need its own lift or a curved rail that carries through the turn.
Townhouses tend to stack living space over several floors, so it helps to decide which floor the person truly needs to reach every day. In a walk-up apartment, the building owner has a say in what goes on a shared staircase, so talk with them early.
Some homes also have exterior steps up to the front or back door. An outdoor lift or a platform lift can cover those steps, and we look at the entry as part of the same visit.
Because the only way to bring a vehicle to Martha's Vineyard is the car ferry from Woods Hole, equipment and parts take longer to arrive and cost more to ship than they would on the mainland. A curved rail is built to order, so the measuring visit and the ferry trip both add to the timeline.
The island economy is heavily seasonal, and contractors serving year-round residents can find it harder to plan capacity around the summer rush. If a hospital discharge or a planned surgery is coming up, it pays to start the process well ahead of time.
Dukes County has a population of 24,729, and 26.3% of residents are 65 or older. That is a large share of people who may be thinking about staying in a multi-story home as the stairs get harder.
About 72.7% of residents own their homes, which matters because several of the programs below are open only to homeowners.
The clearest public option for a stair lift is the Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP), a statewide zero-interest loan that lists ramps and lifts among eligible modifications and has no monthly payments. It is repaid when the property is sold or transferred.
Other programs, including the MassHealth Frail Elder Waiver, the TRI housing rehabilitation loans and the Healthy Aging Martha's Vineyard pilot, cover home modifications or accessibility work but do not name stair lifts in their published sources. Ask each one directly. Elder Services of Cape Cod & Islands, based at 68 Route 134 in South Dennis, can help sort out what you may qualify for at (508) 394-4630.
A statewide MassHealth waiver for people 65+ (or 60-64 with a qualifying physical disability) who need nursing-facility-level care; it lists ramps, grab bars and doorway widening as home modifications, but its source does not mention stair lifts. Screening is handled locally through Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands; call (800) 243-4636.
A zero-interest loan up to $50,000 ($30,000 for manufactured or mobile homes) with no monthly payments, repaid on sale or transfer, and lifts are listed as eligible. Massachusetts homeowners, or landlords renting to a person with a disability, can call (866) 500-5599.
A lifetime VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status, for structural work such as entrance ramps and bathroom access. It does not cover stair lifts, because the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum), usable up to 6 times, for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The official source names ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum), usable up to 6 times, for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not named in the official source, so ask the VA before counting on it.
A deferred, forgivable 0%-interest loan up to $60,000 for income-eligible, year-round homeowners in Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury, and it includes accessibility modifications but does not name stair lifts. Funding is first-come, first-served; call (508) 696-3285.
A pilot offering home safety modifications to island homeowners 65+ on an income-based sliding fee scale, sometimes fully covered, with a referral required. Its page does not name stair lifts; call (508) 618-5134.
The Area Agency on Aging for Dukes County (except Gosnold), offering information, options counseling and access to state in-home services such as Frail Elder Waiver screening. It does not list stair lift funding directly; call (800) 244-4630.
A Center for Independent Living serving Cape Cod and the Islands with advocacy, referral and peer support for people with disabilities of any age. It does not list grants for stair lifts or home modifications; call (508) 775-8300.
Older adults
68 Route 134, South Dennis, 02660
Veterans
9 Airport Rd, Edgartown, 02539
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts in their official sources. Dukes County Veteran Services in Edgartown at (508) 693-6887 can help a veteran check what applies.
Yes. The Home Modification Loan Program offers up to $50,000 at 0% interest with no monthly payments, repaid when the home is sold or transferred, and it lists lifts as eligible. Call (866) 500-5599.
The MassHealth Frail Elder Waiver accepts people 60-64 who have a qualifying physical disability, and the Home Modification Loan Program has no age limit as long as a household member has a disability the modification addresses. CORD also serves people with disabilities of any age.
Equipment and parts reach Dukes County by the Steamship Authority car ferry from Woods Hole, which lengthens lead times and adds cost. Curved rails are built to order, so starting early helps.
Often it can. Straight lifts mount to the treads and can work on tight stairs, while stairs with turns or landings need a curved rail measured for that exact staircase. An in-home visit tells you which one your house needs.
TRI's program serves income-eligible, year-round homeowners in Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury. Call (508) 696-3285 to ask about funding and whether your project qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
