Dare County stretches across 14 towns on the Outer Banks barrier islands and the mainland, from Duck, Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk down through Rodanthe, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras, with Manteo, Wanchese and Manns Harbor on the sound side. Most of the county is water. Of its 1,541.74 square miles, only 383.23 square miles is land.
The homes here reflect that setting. The developed part of the county is described as a string of resort communities along the Outer Banks, and many houses in towns like Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head have more than one story. For a year-round resident or a part-time owner who wants to keep using that house as the stairs get harder, a stair lift is often the most direct fix.
Dare County's housing includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. A single straight flight between floors is the simplest case, and a straight lift runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Split-level homes and townhouses often have landings, turns or short runs between levels. Those usually call for a curved lift with a rail built to the shape of your staircase, or separate straight lifts for each run. We measure the stairs before recommending either one.
Out of 34,237 housing units counted in the 2020 census, 53.4% were vacant, which mostly reflects vacation and second homes. If the house you want to adapt is one you use part of the year, tell us how it is used so the lift plan fits the way you actually live there.
Inside stairs are only part of the picture. Many homes have exterior steps up to a porch or entry, and an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those when a ramp is not practical.
The county sits in an exposed barrier-island position and sees regular tropical cyclone impacts. Hurricane Isabel in 2003 is cited as the worst to hit the county so far. Any equipment mounted outside should be chosen and placed with that weather in mind, and it is worth asking how a lift will be secured or protected before storm season.
About 26,345 people live in the county, and 25.4% of them are 65 or older. The median age is about 49. Homeownership is high at 76.8%, which matters because most repair and modification programs below are for owners.
Several VA grants can help with home changes, though the rules on stair lifts differ by grant, as the program list explains.
Because the county is reached by a small number of bridges and causeways, scheduling installs and service calls takes some planning, especially during busy seasons and around storms. Booking an in-home measurement early helps.
Many households here pay out of pocket. For those who need help, the main local door is the Albemarle Commission, the Area Agency on Aging for Dare County and nine other counties in northeastern North Carolina. It runs the Urgent Repair Program and delivers the Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Program and the state's housing and home improvement assistance. Call (252) 426-5753.
None of those three programs names stair lifts specifically, but they do cover work such as accessibility modifications or mobility and accessibility improvements. Ask directly whether a stair lift fits under their rules before you sign anything.
Medicaid waivers and USDA repair loans and grants are other options, with their own eligibility. Veterans can call the Dare County Veterans Service Office in Manteo at (252) 475-5604 to sort out which VA grant applies.
A Medicaid waiver offering home and community-based services to North Carolina adults 18 and older with a disability who meet a nursing facility level of care. The program page does not list stair lifts or a home-modification cap; call (888) 245-0179 for details.
A Medicaid waiver for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities that explicitly covers porch stair lifts, lifts and elevators, with a combined $50,000 limit for home modifications and assistive technology over the life of the waiver. Apply through your regional LME/MCO with a written recommendation from a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
The regional agency on aging for Dare County, offering supportive services, nutrition, elder rights, caregiver support and health and wellness programs. Its page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (252) 426-5753 to ask what supportive services include.
Help for people 60 or older with no one able and willing to do the work, covering minor home repairs and mobility and accessibility improvements up to $7,000 per person per program year. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 662-7030 or the Albemarle Commission at (252) 426-5753.
An interest-free, deferred loan of up to $12,000 for homeowners who are elderly or have a disability and earn below 50% of area median income, covering accessibility modifications and repairs that prevent displacement. Stair lifts are not named; applications are taken only from the 1st to the 15th of each month at (252) 426-5753.
An interest-free, deferred, 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; call the Albemarle Commission at (252) 426-5753.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income owner-occupants in USDA-eligible rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 and older. Stair lifts are not named, and some built-up beach towns such as Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head may not count as rural, so check your address.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes such as entrance and bathroom access. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA expressly excludes porch lifts and stair glides.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not listed among covered items; the Dare County Veterans Service Office at (252) 475-5604 can help you apply.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or a severe breathing injury. Stair lifts are not listed among covered items; call the Dare County Veterans Service Office at (252) 475-5604.
Older adults
512 S. Church St., Hertford, 27944
Veterans
107 Exeter Street, Room, Manteo, 27954
Not through the HISA grant, which expressly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either way, so call the Dare County Veterans Service Office in Manteo at (252) 475-5604 to review your situation.
The state housing and home improvement assistance requires age 60 or older, and the USDA grant requires 62. CAP/DA serves adults 18 and older with a disability who qualify for Medicaid, and the Urgent Repair Program and ESFR are open to homeowners with a disability who meet the income limits.
It depends on the exact address. Some of the more built-up towns, such as Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, may not meet USDA's rural definition, so check your address on the USDA eligibility map before applying.
The Albemarle Commission accepts applications only between the 1st and the 15th of each month. Household income must be below 50% of area median income. Call (252) 426-5753.
The USDA program requires that you own and occupy the home, and the regional repair programs are aimed at homeowners at risk of displacement. If the house is a second home, plan on paying directly, and ask the Albemarle Commission about your specific case.
Often, yes, if the stairs turn or have landings between levels. Some layouts can use two straight lifts instead, and we measure the staircase before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
