Most of Dawson County's homes sit in and around Glendive, the county seat, with West Glendive across the Yellowstone River and Richey out to the northwest. Beyond those towns, houses are spread thin across farms and ranches, and the county averaged 3.77 people per square mile in 2020.
That spread matters when a parent starts having trouble with the stairs. Services and contractors are concentrated in Glendive, so families on a ranch outside Richey or along the Redwater River often need to plan a home modification further ahead than someone in town. This page covers what kind of lift tends to fit local homes and which programs are worth a phone call.
The county had 4,382 housing units at the 2020 census, most of them owner-occupied and many of them older. Single-family homes and detached houses make up much of what we measure, along with manufactured homes and walk-up apartments.
An older detached house with a straight staircase to a bedroom floor or a basement is usually the simplest job: a straight stair lift runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall. Stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail built to that staircase, which takes longer to make and install.
The flat, open ground of the Northern Plains means fewer hills between the car and the door than in mountainous parts of Montana. The trouble spot is usually the porch or entry steps themselves.
Manufactured homes and many farmhouses have their steps outside, where an outdoor stair lift built for weather is the better match. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift carries the chair and rider together instead of requiring a transfer to a seat.
About 20.4% of Dawson County residents are 65 or older, and 69.4% of households own their home. Owning matters because several of the funding programs below are open only to homeowners.
The county's population has dropped from a 1960 peak of about 12,314, which can thin out the number of in-home service providers. For families, that is a reason to look at stair options before a fall forces a quick decision.
No program on this list names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes them. Several do cover home modifications in general terms, so it is worth asking each one directly how they would treat a lift in your situation.
A good first call is Area I - Action for Eastern Montana at (406) 377-3564, at 2030 N. Merrill Ave. in Glendive. Veterans can reach the Montana Veteran Affairs Division – Miles City Service Office at (406) 232-1203, 1020 N Haynes in Miles City.
Statewide, you can also ask about the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL), the Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), Community First Choice Services (CFCS), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit.
A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver that lists Environmental Adaptations among its services, though stair lifts are not named and a statewide waiting list is in effect. Applicants must be Medicaid eligible and meet nursing-facility level of care; call (800) 219-7035.
An information, referral and options counseling service for adults 60 and older and their caregivers in 17 eastern Montana counties, including Dawson. It does not list home modifications or stair lifts; call (406) 377-3564.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; Dawson County falls under USDA's rural threshold. Ramps and walk-in tubs are named as examples, but stair lifts are not.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically needed home alterations. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Examples given are ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not named.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not named in the program description.
A nonprofit center for independent living offering information and referral, advocacy and independent living skills to people with disabilities in Dawson County. Home modifications are not listed as a direct service; call (406) 948-8500.
Older adults
2030 N. Merrill Ave., Glendive, 59330
Veterans
1020 N Haynes, Miles City, 59301
Yes, though it takes more planning. Contractors and services are concentrated in Glendive, and homes on farms and ranches elsewhere in the county are often a long drive out, so reach out early with your address and a description of the stairs.
Area I - Action for Eastern Montana in Glendive serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers. Call (406) 377-3564 for options counseling and referrals.
The HISA grant excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Miles City Service Office at (406) 232-1203 how they apply to your situation.
The Big Sky Waiver covers Environmental Adaptations, but stair lifts are not named and there is a waiting list. Call (800) 219-7035 to ask about eligibility.
Dawson County falls under USDA's rural threshold, so Section 504 can apply here. Grants of up to $10,000 are for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, but stair lifts are not named as an example.
Only if the staircase turns or has a landing partway up. A straight run of stairs, common in many detached houses, can take a straight rail.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
