Wadena County spreads across 543 square miles of low rolling hills, with the Crow Wing, Leaf, and Partridge rivers running through it. About 9,207 people live here, mostly in and around five towns: Wadena, Staples, Menahga, Sebeka, and Verndale. Roughly 71.8% of residents are classified as rural, so the next neighbor, store, or care facility can be a long drive away.
That distance is a big reason families here look at stair lifts. If a parent can get safely to the bedroom, bathroom, or laundry, staying in the house becomes far more realistic than moving to assisted living in another town. This page covers what local homes usually need and which Minnesota and county programs can help with the cost.
Most housing here is single-family homes and detached houses, along with plenty of split-level and ranch-style homes. The county has about 7,021 housing units, and the median owner-occupied home value sits near $173,000, roughly half the Minnesota and national medians. That points to an older housing stock that was rarely built with step-free or accessible entries.
A single straight staircase is the simplest and usually the least expensive lift to install. Split-level homes are different: they often have short flights between levels, and a stairway with a turn or landing may call for a curved rail. We measure every staircase before recommending one type over another.
On rolling ground, a house often sits a few steps above the yard or driveway. Getting inside can be the hardest part of the day, even when the stairs indoors are manageable.
For those entries, an outdoor stair lift built for weather or a vertical platform lift can make sense. A platform lift is the usual answer for someone who uses a wheelchair, since they stay seated in the chair while it rises. Minnesota's Environmental Accessibility Adaptations rules list both stair lifts and vertical platform lifts as covered modifications, which matters when you apply for waiver funding.
About 21.8% of Wadena County residents are 65 or older, and 59.8% of households own their homes. Owners generally have more freedom to install a lift, though renters can still ask a landlord about one.
Veterans should know up front that the VA HISA grant does not pay for stair lifts, but the county veterans office can point you toward other options.
Per-capita income here is about $32,541 and median household income about $61,467, both roughly two-thirds of the statewide averages. The poverty rate is 12.5%, compared with 9.3% for Minnesota. For many households, paying out of pocket is not realistic, so funding programs are worth the paperwork.
The strongest path is Minnesota's Medicaid waivers. The Elderly Waiver and Alternative Care cover up to $20,000 a year for home adaptations for people 65 and older, and the disability waivers cover up to $40,000 a year for people under 65. Both start with a MnCHOICES assessment through Wadena County Home and Community Based Services at (218) 632-2571.
If a waiver is not a fit, look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, and, for homes inside the City of Wadena, the WHRA Fix-Up Loan. Statewide options also include the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan) and the Minnesota Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (RLP). Details for each local program are listed below.
This state Medicaid waiver for Minnesotans 65+ who need nursing-facility level of care covers stair lifts and vertical platform lifts, up to $20,000 per year; the 2026 limits are $2,982/month income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant, and a waitlist can apply. Apply through Wadena County with a MnCHOICES assessment at (218) 631-7605.
For residents under 65 with a qualifying disability who need an institutional level of care, these waivers cover stair lifts and vertical platform lifts up to $40,000 per year, with an exception process that can reach $80,000 over two years. Call Wadena County Home and Community Based Services at (218) 632-2571.
This county office at 124 1st Street SE in Wadena, supervised by Cheri Dodds, is the required entry point for MnCHOICES assessments and all the waivers above; it is an access point, not a funding source. Call (218) 632-2571.
This VA grant pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for home modifications, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not cover a stair lift. Call (218) 631-7617 for help finding other veteran options.
Officer Matthew Rongstad helps disabled veterans obtain medically necessary equipment and works with veterans organizations on financial assistance; the county page does not mention stair lifts, so treat this office as a guide to other veteran funding. Visit 221 Harry Rich Drive in Wadena or call (218) 631-7617.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get 1% loans up to $20,000, and owners 62+ who cannot repay can get grants up to $7,500, with a $27,500 combined cap; the program does not mention stair lifts, so confirm eligibility for a lift first. Call Rural Development at (218) 829-5965.
This loan for low-income homeowners and landlords inside the City of Wadena lists ramps and bathroom accessibility conversions as qualifying work, but it does not mention stair lifts and funds are first-come, first-served. Call (218) 631-7723.
The regional Area Agency on Aging for Wadena County runs Minnesota Aging Pathways, which connects older adults and caregivers to local supports; it does not list a direct stair lift grant. Call (320) 253-9349.
This nonprofit serves people of any age with a disability in Wadena County and neighboring counties, offering referral and advocacy that can help you find and apply for home-modification funding; it does not state that it funds modifications itself. Call (218) 998-1799.
Older adults
600 25th Ave. South, Suite 108, St. Cloud, 56301
Veterans
221 Harry Rich Drive, Wadena, 56482
It can, through a waiver. The Elderly Waiver, Alternative Care, and the CADI, CAC, BI, and DD disability waivers all list stair lifts under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations. You start with a MnCHOICES assessment through Wadena County Home and Community Based Services at (218) 632-2571.
Yes. The disability waivers serve Minnesota residents under 65 who have a qualifying disability and need an institutional level of care. They cover up to $40,000 per year for home adaptations, including stair lifts.
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Wadena County Veterans Services at (218) 631-7617 works with veterans organizations and can help look for other assistance.
No. That loan is limited to homes within the City of Wadena. Rural homeowners elsewhere in the county can look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants by calling (218) 829-5965.
Often it can. Each flight may need its own straight lift, or a stairway with a turn may need a curved rail. We look at the layout in person before recommending anything.
The Central Minnesota Council on Aging at (320) 253-9349 runs Minnesota Aging Pathways for older adults and caregivers. For anyone with a disability, the Freedom Resource Center for Independent Living at (218) 998-1799 offers referral and advocacy.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
