Madison County's county seat, Virginia City, still has nearly 300 structures from the Gold Rush era, and almost half of them were built before 1900. Ennis, Sheridan and Twin Bridges carry their own older Main Street buildings, with ranch-style houses and newer rural homes spread out between them.
That mix shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense. A steep staircase in an old two-story house in town is a different job from the entry steps of a ranch house out along the Ruby or the Madison. This page walks through the homes, the distances, and the programs that may help with the cost.
The whole town of Virginia City was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962 and is recognized as the Virginia City Historic District. Homes like the Thomas Francis Meagher House stand alongside buildings such as the 1866 Gilbert Brewery, restored beginning in the 1950s by Charles and Sue Bovey.
The older multi-story homes in these historic town cores are where stair lift retrofits come up most. Staircases in houses this age can be narrow, steep or turn partway up, so we measure before recommending anything. A straight flight takes a straight rail; a landing or a bend usually means a curved rail built to fit that staircase.
Split-level homes bring a different question: several short flights instead of one long one. Sometimes one lift on the flight used most often covers daily life, and sometimes a household needs more than one.
Ranch-style and single-family homes across the county often have most living space on one floor. The stairs that cause trouble are frequently the ones outside: porch steps, a deck, or the drop from a garage into the house. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those.
Walk-up apartments are a separate case. If you rent, the building owner has to approve any installation, so it helps to have that conversation before an assessment.
Madison County covers 3,603 square miles, with parts of the Beaverhead, Deerlodge and Gallatin national forests and five major rivers: the Madison, Beaverhead, Big Hole, Jefferson and Ruby. Only one out of three residents lives in the four small incorporated towns. Everyone else is on ranches or in unincorporated communities.
That spread lengthens travel to contractors, medical appointments and Area Agency on Aging services. Planning ahead matters here. Getting a measurement done early, and lining up any program paperwork at the same time, saves extra trips.
About 35.1% of residents are 65 or older, and 81.5% own their homes. For homeowners, a permanent stair lift is often a practical way to keep using the whole house instead of moving.
VA programs have specific rules about stair lifts, covered in the programs list below, and the Belgrade Service Office at (406) 388-4601 can help veterans sort out which benefits apply.
The Montana Big Sky Waiver is the one program in this list where the source names a home modifications benefit, and stair lifts would fall under that category rather than a separate line item. It has a waiting list, so starting early helps.
Southwest Montana Aging and Disability Services in Butte, at 125 Basin Creek Rd., is the local starting point for referrals; call (406) 782-5555. The contracted senior centers in Sheridan (406-842-5966), Twin Bridges (406-684-5175) and Ennis (406-682-4422) are closer to home.
Statewide, Montana also lists the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL), Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), Community First Choice Services (CFCS), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit. Ask the aging office whether any of these fit your situation.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver that lists home modifications for safety and accessibility as a covered benefit, set individually through a service plan; you must be Medicaid-eligible, meet a nursing-facility level of care, and there is a waiting list. Call Mountain Pacific Quality Health at (800) 219-7035 about the level of care determination.
The local information, referral and options-counseling office for adults 60+ and adults with disabilities in Madison and five other counties; its source does not list a stair lift or home modification benefit. Call (406) 782-5555.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan; the source describes general safety and repair work and does not mention stair lifts. Call (406) 585-2580.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations, but it specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or change a permanent home; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A Center for Independent Living serving people with disabilities in Madison and nearby counties with peer mentoring, personal-care coordination and referral; no stair lift or home modification program is listed. Call (406) 782-4834.
Older adults
125 Basin Creek Rd., Butte, 59701
Veterans
350 Airport Rd., Belgrade, 59714
Often, yes. Older multi-story homes in the town cores are where stair lift retrofits are most common. Steep or turning staircases usually need a curved rail measured for that specific staircase.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts in their source, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Belgrade Service Office at (406) 388-4601.
The Montana Big Sky Waiver lists home modifications for safety and accessibility as a covered benefit, which is where a stair lift would fall. You must qualify for Medicaid and a nursing-facility level of care, and there is a waiting list. Call (800) 219-7035.
Southwest Montana Aging and Disability Services also serves adults with disabilities, not only those 60+. Ability Montana's Butte branch serves people with disabilities in Madison County at (406) 782-4834.
The contracted senior centers are Sheridan at 406-842-5966, Twin Bridges at 406-684-5175 and Ennis at 406-682-4422. The main Area V office in Butte is at (406) 782-5555.
Outdoor stair lifts and vertical platform lifts are built for porch, deck and entry steps. On ranch-style homes these are often the stairs that matter most.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
