Traverse County sits on Minnesota's western edge, bordering North and South Dakota, with the Red River running north along its western boundary. Wheaton is the county seat and largest city, Browns Valley is the other town, and the rest of the county is spread across 15 townships from Arthur and Clifton to Tintah, Walls and Windsor.
The source describes the land as low rolling hills, fully devoted to agriculture except in developed areas. It is the least-populous county in Minnesota, and every resident is counted as living in a rural area. For a family weighing a stair lift, that means planning around long drives, older houses and help programs that serve several counties at once.
Most homes in the county are single-family homes and detached houses, with a good share of split-level and ranch-style homes. Each style puts stairs in a different place, and that decides which lift fits.
A ranch-style home usually keeps daily living on one floor, so the stairs that matter tend to be the ones down to the basement, where laundry or storage often sits. A straight stair lift handles a single straight flight like that well.
Split-level homes are trickier. They have short flights between levels, and a person may need to climb more than one to reach a bedroom or bathroom. Sometimes one short straight lift solves the main problem; other times a curved lift or a different plan makes more sense, and we work that out by measuring in person.
In a rural county, the first stairs a person meets are often the ones outside: front steps, a back porch or the entry from the yard. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure and can cover those steps when a ramp would not fit.
Where steps are few but a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift can be the better answer. We look at the entry, the ground around it and how the person gets in and out of a vehicle before recommending one over the other.
Low-rise buildings in town can have shared stairs, which usually need the building owner's approval before any lift goes in. It helps to ask about that early.
With the whole county counted as rural, in-home services, stair lift installers included, have to travel significant distances to reach clients. Grouping the home visit, measurements and any questions about funding into one trip saves time for everyone.
The county's median age was 46.8 in the 2020 Census, and the population has shrunk sharply since 1940. Many homeowners here plan to stay put, and adult children living elsewhere often coordinate the work by phone. A clear list of which stairs are used daily makes that conversation easier.
None of the local or VA sources we have explicitly name stair lifts as a covered item, so the honest answer is that coverage has to be confirmed with each program. Still, several are worth a call because they deal with home repair, accessibility or aging at home.
West Central Minnesota Communities Action (WCMCA) runs two deferred loans for homeowners in Grant, Traverse and Wilkin counties: the Rehabilitation Loan Program, up to $37,500, and the Emergency & Accessibility Loan Program, up to $27,000. Both carry 0% interest with no payments during the term and can be forgiven if the borrower stays in the home. The intake line is (320) 391-4228.
For waiver and aging services, Western Prairie Human Services at (320) 422-7777 is the first stop now that Traverse County Social Service joined it beginning January 1, 2026. Statewide options to ask about include the Elderly Waiver (EW), the Alternative Care (AC) Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver and the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan).
They can reach the Traverse County Veterans Service Office at 702 2nd Avenue North in Wheaton, (320) 422-7726, about the VA grants listed below and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A 0% interest deferred loan of up to $37,500 for income-eligible homeowners in Grant, Traverse and Wilkin counties, forgiven if you own and occupy the home through the term of up to 15 years. It covers home accessibility broadly, but the source does not list stair lifts, so call (320) 391-4228 to ask.
A 0% interest deferred loan of up to $27,000 for urgent health and safety problems in the home, forgiven if the borrower stays in the property. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (320) 391-4228, the same intake as the RLP.
Homemaker and chore help for older adults, including snow removal, lawn maintenance and minor home repairs, billed on an hourly sliding scale from $10 to $40 based on income, and sometimes through the Elderly Waiver or insurance. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (218) 405-3011.
The county human services agency for Pope, Grant and Traverse counties, with a Senior Coordinator, Caregiver Consultant and disability services. It does not mention stair lifts, but it is the place to start waiver and aging services intake at (320) 422-7777.
A free statewide line for seniors and caregivers that connects callers to local aging services. It is a referral service rather than a benefit, and the source does not describe stair lift coverage; call (800) 333-2433.
A free statewide resource network that helps Minnesotans with disabilities of any age solve problems and navigate the system. It does not list stair lift coverage; call (866) 333-2466.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a home, usable up to 6 times. The source does not name stair lifts; the Traverse County Veterans Service Office at (320) 422-7726 can help with an application.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 cap) to adapt a home for veterans with qualifying disabilities, with a variant of up to $9,100 for a family member's home. Stair lifts are not named in the source; ask the Traverse County Veterans Service Office at (320) 422-7726.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
702 2nd Avenue North, Wheaton, 56296
The whole county is rural, so travel is part of every job here. We plan visits to Wheaton, Browns Valley and the townships and try to handle measuring and questions in one trip.
Often, yes. Split-level homes have short flights between levels, so we look at which flights are used every day. One straight lift may cover the main need, or a curved lift or another plan may fit better.
The Rehabilitation Loan Program covers home accessibility broadly, and the Emergency & Accessibility Loan Program handles health and safety problems, but neither source names stair lifts. Call WCMCA at (320) 391-4228 to ask before you count on it.
Traverse County Social Service joined Western Prairie Human Services beginning January 1, 2026. Reach their senior and disability services at (320) 422-7777.
Contact the Traverse County Veterans Service Office at 702 2nd Avenue North in Wheaton, (320) 422-7726. They can explain the VA SAH and SHA grants and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
The Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) is at 111 South Civic Center Drive in Oklee, 56742, and can be reached at (218) 281-8288. The Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 can also point you to local services.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
