Buncombe County holds one of North Carolina's largest collections of early-20th-century houses. Victorian-era homes line historic neighborhoods like Montford and Grove Park, and many mid-century houses in Asheville, Weaverville, Black Mountain and Swannanoa were built as split-level designs that step down the mountain slope. That means a lot of long-owned homes here have stairs inside, sometimes several short sets of them.
For an older homeowner who wants to stay put, those stairs are often the first real obstacle. This page walks through what Buncombe County's homes and hills mean for choosing a stair lift, and which local, state and federal programs are worth a phone call when it comes to paying for one.
A split-level home usually has two or more short flights instead of one long staircase. Each flight is measured on its own, and a straight run can often take a straight stair lift. Where a flight turns or has a landing in the middle, a curved lift built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Older Victorian houses in Montford and the Chestnut Hill Historic District, which counts 238 contributing buildings including Grove Park, tend to have narrower or turning staircases. We look at stair width, the turns and where the rail can mount before recommending anything.
Townhouses, duplexes and walk-up apartments across the county bring their own questions, such as who owns the stairway and whether a landlord or association must sign off. Sorting that out before an install saves time.
Asheville sits at about 2,130 feet where the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers meet, and much of the county is steep and hilly. Steep lots can make an exterior ramp hard to build, which is one reason interior stair lifts are a common choice here.
If the trouble is the steps up to the front door or down to a lower-level entry, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may fit better than a ramp. The area averages about 49.6 inches of precipitation and about 10.3 inches of snowfall a year, so any outdoor unit should be one rated for exposure to rain and cold.
Of the county's 136,027 residents, 20.8 percent are 65 or older and 57.0 percent own their homes. Many of those owners have lived in the same multi-story or split-level house for years and would rather adapt it than move.
Buncombe County Veterans Services at 40 Coxe Avenue in Asheville, (828) 250-5726, can help a veteran check which VA housing benefits apply.
None of the programs below names stair lifts as a covered item in its published material, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do fund accessibility or mobility work in general, so it is worth asking each one directly whether a stair lift could qualify in your situation.
Hurricane Helene struck the region in September 2024, and the recovery has strained capacity at nonprofit home-repair providers that serve seniors. Call early and expect that some programs may take time to respond.
A good first call for anyone 60 or older is Land of Sky Regional Council's Area Agency on Aging at 339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, (828) 251-6622. They coordinate Home and Community Care Block Grant funds for the county.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care, with an 'Equipment, modification and technology' budget that rose from $13,000 to $28,000; stair lifts are not listed by name. Buncombe County residents apply through Buncombe County DSS, or call (888) 245-0179.
A Medicaid waiver for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities that covers home modifications such as ramps and doorway widening; stair lifts are not listed. In Buncombe County it runs through Vaya Health, and the state line is (888) 245-0179.
Provides up to $7,000 per person per program year for people 60 or older, including mobility and accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named. Locally it is delivered through Land of Sky Regional Council; the state number is (800) 662-7030.
Coordinates block grant funds and connects older adults in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties to fall-prevention and aging-in-place services; no stair lift funding is mentioned. Call (828) 251-6622.
A no-cost program for county residents 60 and older, MAHEC Home Based Primary Care patients and CarePartners PACE referrals, limited to grab bars and shower wands; stair lifts are not listed. Call (828) 277-8288.
Free health and safety repairs for very low-income and vulnerable Buncombe County homeowners, including ramps, railings and grab bars; stair lifts are not named. Call (828) 254-4030.
No-fee repairs, including modifications for accessibility, for owner-occupied homes in Buncombe or Madison County with a tax value of $450,000 or less and income under set limits; stair lifts are not itemized. Call (828) 251-5702.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older in USDA-designated rural areas with very low incomes; stair lifts are not named, so check your address on the USDA eligibility site first.
Pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for permanent changes like ramps and roll-in showers, and explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for homeowning veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities; stair lifts are not named as a covered item. Call (800) 827-1000.
Offers information, referral, advocacy and ADA assessments for people with disabilities in Buncombe and six nearby counties, not direct funding; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (828) 298-1977.
Older adults
339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, 28806
Veterans
40 Coxe Avenue, Asheville, 28801
Usually, yes. Each short flight is looked at separately, and straight flights can often take a straight lift while turning flights need a curved one. Split-level layouts are common in Buncombe County because many mid-century homes were built to follow the slope.
The HISA grant does not, because it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or Buncombe County Veterans Services at (828) 250-5726 about your case.
Start with Land of Sky Regional Council's Area Agency on Aging at (828) 251-6622. The Home and Community Care Block Grant allows up to $7,000 per person per program year for things including mobility and accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named.
Since Hurricane Helene in September 2024, recovery work has strained nonprofit home-repair providers that serve seniors. Getting on their lists early helps.
The VA HISA grant applies to owned or rented primary homes, but it does not cover stair lifts. Most other programs listed here, such as Habitat, USDA Section 504 and Mountain Housing Opportunities, are for homeowners.
Often it is. Steep hillside lots can make ramps hard to build, so an outdoor stair lift or platform lift may fit better. Pick a unit rated for rain and snow given the area's weather.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
