Aitkin County is lake country. Between the 1,822 square miles of wooded land and 174 square miles of water, homes in and around Aitkin, Hill City and McGregor range from older single-family houses in town to cabins and seasonal lake properties at the end of long gravel drives.
That mix shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. A basement staircase in an Aitkin ranch is a different project from the entry steps on a manufactured home or the outdoor stairs at a lake place. This page walks through those differences and the programs that may help with the cost.
Ranch-style homes are common here, and the stairs that cause trouble are usually the ones down to the basement, where the laundry, freezer or furnace sits. Those are often a single straight run, which is the simplest and quickest stair lift to fit.
Split-level homes put a short flight between every floor. Each flight may need its own lift, or a curved rail if the stairs turn at a landing. We measure every run before recommending one or the other.
Older single-family homes sometimes have narrow or steep stairways. A careful measurement tells us whether a standard straight rail fits or whether a custom curved rail is the better answer.
Many homes in the county sit on lakes and ponds, and plenty of them have steps outside: up to a deck, down a slope, or into the front door. An outdoor stair lift is built with weather-resistant parts for this kind of use.
Manufactured homes usually have a few exterior steps at the entry. Depending on the layout, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can work. A platform lift is the choice when someone needs to stay in a wheelchair.
According to 2020 Census data, 100.0% of county residents live in rural areas. That means longer drives to medical care and to contractors, which makes it worth planning a lift before a fall or a hospital stay forces the question.
Across Aitkin, Hill City and McGregor, 30.2% of residents are 65 or older. With homeownership in the county at 85.3%, most of those households own the home they would modify, which opens the door to several of the owner-occupant programs listed below.
The Minnesota Elderly Waiver is the program that most directly lists home modifications as a covered benefit, for people 65 and older who qualify for Medical Assistance. It starts with a county MnCHOICES assessment.
For homeowners with lower incomes, Lakes and Pines Community Action Council delivers state accessibility and rehabilitation loans locally, and Aitkin County Habitat for Humanity does small repairs for low-income veterans, disabled and elderly homeowners. Most programs below do not name stair lifts specifically, so ask each one directly.
Veterans can start with the Aitkin County Veterans Service Office at 307 2nd Street Northwest, Room 114, in Aitkin, (218) 927-7320. Note that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who qualify for Medical Assistance and need nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home; home modifications are a covered benefit, and 2026 limits include a $2,982 monthly income cap and a $3,000 asset limit for a single applicant. Call (800) 333-2433.
A Medicaid waiver for people with a qualifying disability who enroll before age 65; Environmental Accessibility Adaptations are capped at $40,000 per 365-day period, but the source does not list stair lifts, so confirm coverage with the county lead agency. Call (866) 267-7655.
Federal repair help for very-low-income rural homeowners, with loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. The source mentions making a home accessible but does not name stair lifts.
A lifetime VA grant of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on service connection, for medically necessary home changes. Stair glides and porch lifts are explicitly excluded, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. The VA source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
A 0% deferred loan forgiven after 15 years if you stay in the home, for owner-occupants with income up to $27,700 for one person and net assets under $25,000. Funds can include handicap accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named.
A deferred, 0% loan for low-income homeowners with an emergency condition or essential accessibility need; stair lifts are not named in the source and the current cap should be confirmed. Call Lakes and Pines Community Action Council at (320) 679-1800.
Information, referral and case management for adults 60 and older in Aitkin County and six other Arrowhead counties. No stair lift or home modification service is listed, but they can point you to options; call (218) 722-5545.
Does small repairs for low-income veterans, disabled and elderly Aitkin County residents who own their homes; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (218) 927-5656.
A center for independent living serving Aitkin County that runs a Ramp Project and offers housing and home modification services; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (800) 390-3681.
Older adults
424 W. Superior Street, Suite 507, Duluth, 55802
Veterans
307 2nd Street Northwest, Room 114, Aitkin, 56431
Home modifications are a covered Elderly Waiver benefit. Stair lifts are not named individually, so the decision comes through your county MnCHOICES assessment. Call (800) 333-2433 to start.
The CADI Waiver is for people who enroll before age 65 and caps accessibility adaptations at $40,000 per 365-day period. Its source does not list stair lifts, so confirm with the lead agency at (866) 267-7655.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, and a vertical platform lift is an option for short entry steps when someone uses a wheelchair. We look at the slope, the steps and the landing before recommending one.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, and the SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts. The Aitkin County Veterans Service Office at (218) 927-7320 can review what else may apply.
Lakes and Pines Community Action Council delivers Minnesota Housing's rehabilitation and emergency and accessibility loans in Aitkin County. You can reach them at (320) 679-1800.
The Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older in Aitkin County from its office at 424 W. Superior Street, Suite 507, Duluth. Call (218) 722-5545.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
