Newland, the Avery County seat, sits at 3,589 feet, the highest county seat in the eastern United States. From Banner Elk and Sugar Mountain to Elk Park and Linville, homes here are built into the slopes of the Blue Ridge High Country, and a lot of them sit on graded lots with steps inside and out.
That terrain is the reason stairs come up so often when families talk about staying in an Avery County home. This page walks through how local homes tend to be laid out, which kind of stair lift usually fits, and which programs may help pay for one.
Avery County has 14,201 housing units, a mix of older mountain homes, cabins and newer construction. Common layouts include single-family homes, split-level homes, ranch-style homes and low-rise buildings.
Because so many homes are set on graded lots, the main living floor is often a full flight above the driveway or the lower level. That means the stair problem is not always inside the house. Sometimes it is the walk from the car to the front door.
A straight stair lift runs on a rail along one unbroken flight. It is the simplest install and fits many ranch-style homes with a single flight to a basement or lower floor.
Older mountain homes and cabins often have stairs that turn at a landing or wind in a tight space. Those usually need a curved lift with a rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. Split-level homes can have more than one short run, so we look at each flight before recommending anything.
For steps outside on a sloped lot, an outdoor stair lift is built to handle the weather. If a wheelchair needs to go up and down, a platform lift is the better choice than a seat.
About 19.5% of Avery County residents are 65 or older, and 64.2% are homeowners. Owning the home matters, since several repair and modification programs below are open only to people who own and live in the house.
The Avery County Veteran Services Office at 175 Linville Street in Newland, (828) 733-8211, can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply before any work is scheduled.
Two programs on this page clearly cover home modifications that can include accessibility work: the NC Medicaid CAP/DA Waiver and the USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants. CAP/DA new requests may go on a statewide waitlist, so it helps to start early.
Several local programs do not mention stair lifts in their published materials. That does not always mean no, so call Avery Senior Services, WAMY Community Action or Avery County Habitat for Humanity and ask directly.
For VA benefits, note that the HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but do not list stair lifts by name, so confirm with the VA before counting on them. North Carolina also offers the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1), which is a tax program rather than a modification grant.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older with a disability who need nursing-facility level care; its approved services include equipment, modification and technology, funded through a plan of care set by a case manager. New requests may be waitlisted; call (888) 245-0179, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
The local senior services network for older adults, typically 60 and older, offering in-home aide, meals, transportation and SHIIP help; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed for Avery. Call Avery Senior Services in Newland at (828) 733-8220 to ask about referral options.
USDA Rural Development loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; these funds can go toward accessibility modifications. Avery County falls within USDA's rural service area.
An interest-free, deferred and forgivable loan for elderly or disabled homeowners at or below 80% of area median income, focused on health and safety repairs; stair lifts are not listed. Avery County residents apply through a local partner agency such as WAMY, and NCHFA can be reached at (919) 877-5700.
Free home repair and weatherization for households below 200% of the federal poverty level in Watauga, Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties; stair lifts and accessibility work are not listed. Call (828) 264-2421.
A need- and income-based repair program for Avery County homeowners; the website does not say whether stair lifts or other accessibility work are included. Call (828) 733-1909 to ask.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes, but it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift. Call the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with certain permanent, total service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands; specific modifications are not itemized, so stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
468 New Market Blvd., Boone, 28607
Veterans
175 Linville Street, Newland, 28657
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but do not list stair lifts, so ask the Avery County Veteran Services Office at (828) 733-8211 or the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Yes, possibly. The NC Medicaid CAP/DA Waiver serves adults 18 and older with a disability who need nursing-facility level care, and its services include home modifications. New requests may be placed on a statewide waitlist.
Yes. An outdoor stair lift is built for exterior steps and weather. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is usually the better fit.
Avery Senior Services is at 1655 Schultz St. in Newland, (828) 733-8220. The regional office, Region D - High Country Council of Governments AAA in Boone, is at (828) 265-5434.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Loans and grants can be combined for up to $50,000.
Split-level homes often have more than one short flight. Each run may need its own straight lift, or a curved rail if the stairs turn, so we measure every flight first.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
