Polk County runs along the North Dakota border in the flat Red River Valley, with the Red River of the North as its western edge and the Red Lake River cutting through the upper-central part of the county. East Grand Forks is the largest city and Crookston is the county seat, but the 2020 census put the county at 53.5% urban and 46.5% rural. That means a lot of families are looking after parents out past McIntosh, Fertile, Erskine and Fisher, not just in town.
This page covers what the homes here mean for a stair lift, how the county's long winters and long drives change the decision, and which programs in Polk County and Minnesota may help with the cost. The goal is simple: help you figure out whether a lift makes sense for the house your family actually lives in.
Most homes we see here fall into a handful of types: single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Each one points toward a different kind of lift.
A single-family home with one straight run of stairs is usually the easiest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and can often go in without changes to the house.
Split-level homes are trickier. They tend to have short flights with landings or turns between levels, so the choice is often a curved lift that follows the turn, or separate straight lifts for each short flight. We measure every step before recommending one over the other.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings come with their own questions, such as who owns the stairway and whether a building manager has to sign off. It is worth sorting that out before anyone gets attached to a model.
Polk County covers about 1,971 square miles of low, rolling farmland, and nearly half of residents live outside the towns. When the nearest help is a long drive away and the county is buried in a cold Upper-Midwest winter, a fall on the basement or bedroom stairs is harder to recover from.
That is why the front steps matter as much as the inside stairs. An outdoor stair lift built for weather, or a platform lift for someone using a wheelchair, can make getting in and out of the house during winter far safer. If a parent can no longer manage the entry steps, start the conversation there.
About 18.3% of Polk County's 20,227 residents are 65 or older, and 63.7% of households own their home. Owning matters, because most of the loan programs below require that you own and live in the house.
The county Veterans Services office is at 612 N Broadway, Room 241, in Crookston, and can be reached at (218) 281-3066. They can explain which VA benefits apply, though the main VA home alteration grant does not pay for stair lifts.
Two programs listed below name home modification in a way that includes stair lifts: the Minnesota Elderly Waiver through its Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit, and the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging home modification service. Those are the best places to start.
Others, like the Minnesota Housing rehab and accessibility loans and the USDA Section 504 repair program, fund home improvements but do not mention stair lifts by name. Ask the lender or office directly before you count on them.
Minnesota also runs the Alternative Care (AC) Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver and the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan). For general help sorting through options, the Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) in Oklee answers at (218) 281-8288.
A Medical Assistance waiver for Minnesotans 65 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, with home modifications covered under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, which includes stair lifts. Apply through Polk County Social Services at (877) 281-3127; the 2026 income standard for a single applicant is $2,982 per month.
A deferred loan of up to $37,500 with no monthly payments or interest, forgiven if you keep living in the home for 15 years; it lists accessibility improvements but does not name stair lifts, so confirm with the lender. Call Minnesota Housing at (651) 296-8215.
Repair loans of $20,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $7,500 for very-low-income rural homeowners age 62 or older, though the source does not mention stair lifts specifically. Most of Polk County outside East Grand Forks' urbanized core counts as rural; call (651) 602-7800.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other disabilities, covering permanent changes like entrance access and roll-in showers. It does not cover stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers in a 21-county area that includes Polk County, funding home modification through local providers, which includes stair lifts. Call (218) 745-9130.
Chore crews for residents 60 and older in Norman, Polk and Red Lake Counties; stair lifts are not listed. Call (218) 470-8100.
A free center for people with disabilities offering an Equipment Loaner Closet and Accessibility Assistance, though stair lifts are not named. The office is in East Grand Forks and can be reached at (800) 726-3692.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
612 N Broadway, Room 241, Crookston, 56716
Yes, in some cases. The Elderly Waiver starts at 65, but Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging and the Tri-County Chore Service Program serve people 60 and older, and the USDA Section 504 grant opens at 62. Options Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living serves people with disabilities of any age in its area.
Not through the HISA grant. The VA specifically excludes stair glides from HISA, which covers permanent alterations instead. The Veterans Services office in Crookston at (218) 281-3066 can talk through other VA benefits.
Most of Polk County outside East Grand Forks' urbanized core qualifies as USDA-rural. Keep in mind the program covers repairs and improvements in general and does not name stair lifts, so ask at (651) 602-7800 before planning around it.
It is a deferred loan with no monthly payments or interest. It is forgiven if you do not sell, transfer the title or move out for 15 years, or 10 years for a mobile or manufactured home.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, so the answer is either a curved lift that follows the turns or a straight lift on each flight. Measuring the stairs in person is what settles it.
If your parent is 65 or older and may need a nursing-home level of care, start with Polk County Social Services about the Elderly Waiver at (877) 281-3127. If not, Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging at (218) 745-9130 is a good first call for home modification help.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
