Gallatin County runs from Bozeman and Belgrade out to Manhattan, Three Forks, Big Sky and West Yellowstone, with eleven towns spread across a valley ringed by the Bridger Mountains, the Gallatin Range and the Tobacco Root Mountains. Bozeman, the county seat, sits at roughly 4,820 feet, and the winters here are long and snowy.
Homes across the county range from split-level homes and townhouses to detached houses and walk-up apartments. Each of those layouts puts stairs in a different place, and that shapes which kind of stair lift makes sense. This page walks through the local home styles, what the weather means for outdoor steps, and the programs worth calling before you pay out of pocket.
Single-family homes and detached houses with one straight flight between floors are the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and usually fits without changing the staircase.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have several short flights between levels, so the choice comes down to a separate straight lift on each run or one curved lift that follows the turns. We measure every landing before recommending either.
Townhouses often stack two or three floors with narrow stairwells, so the folded width of the chair matters. In walk-up apartments, the building owner has to approve any installation on shared or rented stairs, so that conversation comes first.
Bozeman grew from 37,280 residents in 2010 to 53,293 in 2020, a 43.0% increase. Much of that growth added newer single-family and multi-family construction around a historic downtown core anchored by Montana State University, which was established in 1893.
Newer construction and older houses can sit on the same street, so we do not assume a staircase layout from the neighborhood. About 53.4% of households here own their homes, and owners have the most freedom to install a lift. Renters can still get one, but they need the landlord on board.
The Bozeman area averages about 91.3 inches of snow a year, with about 16.2 inches in a typical December, and recorded temperatures have ranged from -46°F to 105°F. For anyone with weak knees or balance trouble, icy porch and deck steps can be a bigger hazard than the indoor stairs.
An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can get someone from the driveway to the door without walking icy treads. Outdoor units still need the path cleared around them, so plan for who handles snow removal. If a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift is usually the better fit than a seat.
About 10.7% of Gallatin County residents are 65 or older, and county data counts about 16,865 seniors among roughly 100,769 adults.
Median household income is reported at $93,528, but the county is a high-cost place to live. Seniors on fixed incomes often find the programs below worth a phone call before buying a lift privately.
None of the programs listed for Gallatin County names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do fund home modifications in general, so the right move is to ask each one directly whether a stair lift can be approved.
A good first call is the Area IV Agency on Aging at (406) 447-1680, which can point you toward the Big Sky Waiver and other referrals. Veterans can start with the Veterans Affairs Service Office at 350 Airport Road in Belgrade, (406) 388-4601.
Statewide options worth asking about include 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 waiver run by the Montana DPHHS Senior & Long Term Care Division that funds home modifications for safety and accessibility, such as ramps, grab bars and wider doorways; stair lifts are not named, so confirm with a case manager. Applicants must be 65+ or under 65 with a qualifying physical disability and need nursing facility level of care; slots are limited, and the number to call is (888) 706-1535.
The state-designated aging agency for Gallatin County, offering information, referral and Options Counseling rather than cash grants; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (406) 447-1680 for referrals, including help starting a Big Sky Waiver application.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ with very low income in USDA-designated rural areas; stair lifts are not specifically named, though ramps and walk-in showers are given as examples. No local phone is listed, so use the office locator at rd.usda.gov/browse-state and check whether your address qualifies as rural.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary permanent changes like ramps, widened doorways and roll-in showers. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are excluded as removable equipment.
Larger VA grants, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities; stair lifts are not named, though ramps and widened doorways are. Apply through va.gov, or ask the Belgrade Veterans Affairs Service Office at (406) 388-4601 for help.
A center for independent living at 2015 Charlotte St Suite 2 in Bozeman offering peer mentoring, self-directed personal care, a Veteran Directed Care program and referrals; no stair lift program is listed. Call (406) 522-7300.
A community action agency serving low-income households and older adults in Gallatin County, with a Senior Groceries food-box program; no stair lift or accessibility program is listed. Call (406) 587-4486 to ask about other help.
Free volunteer home repairs for elderly, disabled or low-income homeowners in the Belgrade, Bozeman, Four Corners and Gallatin Gateway area, including new decks and stairs; stair lifts are not named, and applications were on hold for the 2026 cycle. There is no phone, so write to P.O. Box 6091, Bozeman, MT 59771.
Older adults
208 N. Montana Ave., Suite 216, Helena, 59601
Veterans
350 Airport Road, Belgrade, 59714
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so veterans with qualifying disabilities should ask the Veterans Affairs Service Office in Belgrade at (406) 388-4601.
It funds home modifications for safety and accessibility, but stair lifts are not named, so a case manager has to confirm. The 2026 income limit is $994 a month for a single applicant, and slots can fill up with a waitlist. Call (888) 706-1535.
Yes, the Big Sky Waiver accepts people under 65 who have a qualifying physical disability and need nursing facility level of care. The USDA Section 504 grant portion starts at age 62, while its loans have no age floor.
Often, yes. Each short run can take its own straight lift, or a single curved lift can follow the turns. We measure every flight and landing before recommending one or the other.
With about 91.3 inches of snow a year around Bozeman, icy exterior steps are a real risk, and an outdoor lift or platform lift can take them out of the picture. Someone still needs to keep snow cleared around the lift and the landing.
The Area IV Agency on Aging at (406) 447-1680 is a good starting point for referrals and Big Sky Waiver intake help. Veterans should also call the Belgrade Veterans Affairs Service Office at (406) 388-4601.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
