A two-story American Foursquare in Trinity Park and a ranch house in Walltown sit only a few miles apart, but they call for very different answers when stairs get hard. Durham County takes in the City of Durham, plus Gorman and Rougemont, with built-up neighborhoods in the central and southern parts of the county and more rural land to the north.
This page walks through the home styles we see across the county, what each one means for a stair lift, and the programs that may help with the cost. Every home is different, so the real answer starts with measuring your stairs.
Early-20th-century neighborhoods like Morehead Hill and Trinity Park have many American Foursquare homes. These have two full stories with bedrooms upstairs, reached by a central staircase. A single straight flight like that is usually a good fit for a straight stair lift, which mounts to the treads rather than the wall.
Victorian homes in the historic districts can have turns, landings or narrow runs that need a curved rail built to the stair. Craftsman bungalows are often one to one-and-a-half stories with bedrooms on the main level, so some owners find they need a lift only for an upstairs room or a basement, or not at all.
If your house is in a historic district, modification options can be limited by historic-district review requirements. It is worth checking before planning any outside work such as an outdoor lift or porch changes.
Mid-century neighborhoods such as Walltown and Old North Durham, along with postwar infill pockets, are mostly single-level ranch homes with bedrooms grouped together. Inside, these are often the easiest homes to age in. The steps that cause trouble are usually at the front door, the back porch or the basement, which can point to an outdoor lift or a platform lift.
Split-level homes are a different puzzle. They tend to have short half-flights between levels, and each one may need its own lift. Townhouses usually stack living space over two or more floors, so a straight lift on the main staircase is common. In walk-up apartments the stairs are often shared, so any lift would need the building owner's approval first.
North of the city, around Rougemont and toward Falls Lake and the Eno River, homes sit on larger, more rural lots. Here the hard part is often getting from the driveway or yard into the house, not just going upstairs.
For entry steps exposed to weather, an outdoor stair lift built for the elements or a vertical platform lift can make sense. We look at the slope, the number of steps and where power is available before suggesting either one.
Roughly 52.0 percent of households own their homes, which matters because most repair and modification programs require you to own and live in the house.
If you rent, talk with your landlord early. A stair lift is installed on the stairs themselves, so the owner has to agree before any work begins.
No program on the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several programs do cover accessibility changes such as ramps, railings or home modifications in general, and some may consider a lift case by case. Ask each one directly.
A good first call for older adults is the Region J - Central Pines Regional Council AAA at (919) 558-9394, 1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh 27605. Veterans can reach Durham County Veteran Services at (919) 560-8387, 201 N. Roxboro Street, Durham 27701.
Statewide options also include the NC Innovations Waiver, the Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C) and the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1). The property tax exclusion does not pay for equipment, but lowering a tax bill can free up money for one.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care and qualify for long-term-care Medicaid, offering home and community-based support. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (888) 245-0179.
Housing and home improvement help for people 60 or older who have no one able and willing to do the work, capped at $7,000 per individual per program year. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (800) 662-7030 to ask about the current Durham County provider.
Information, referral, private-pay Options Counseling and a veteran-directed program for older adults and caregivers in the region. It does not run a stair lift or home modification grant itself; call (800) 310-9777.
Home rehabilitation for households at or below 80% of area median income where a member is 62+, receives Social Security or Disability, is a Veteran, or is a child under 6 with lead exposure. The source does not say whether stair lifts are covered; call (919) 558-9394.
County services for older and disabled adults, including Low-Income Homeowners Relief. Amounts, eligibility and coverage of stair lifts are not listed; call (919) 560-8000.
Works with a counselor to plan assistive devices and home modifications such as ramps, accessible bathrooms and wider doors; stair lifts are not named. The Durham office is at 4312 Western Park Place, Durham, NC 27705; call (984) 243-4350.
Funds accessibility modifications for homeowners with a permanent physical disability, delivered through the Western Park Place Independent Living office in Durham. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (919) 877-5700.
Loans up to $20,000 for very-low-income homeowners and grants up to $7,500 for those 62+, with combinations up to $27,500 under certain conditions. Stair lifts are not mentioned; apply through the Rural Development State Office.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability, for medically needed home changes. It specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (919) 286-0411.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026). Ramps and wider doorways are the examples given; stair lifts are not named. Call (919) 286-0411.
Repairs for income-qualified Durham County homeowners that address health, safety or accessibility, including ramps and railings; stair lifts are not named. Expect a 12-15 month wait; call (919) 682-0516.
Free repairs, including accessibility modifications such as ramps, for homeowners in Chatham, Durham, Orange or Wake County at or below 65% of area median income who have owned and lived in the home at least 2 years. Stair lifts are not named, and there is a long waitlist.
Older adults
1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh, 27605
Veterans
201 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, 27701
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so a veteran with a qualifying disability should ask. Durham County Veteran Services at (919) 560-8387 can help with the application.
Yes, possibly. CAP/DA serves adults 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care, and the Independent Living program and the Displacement Prevention Partnership serve people with disabilities regardless of age. None of them name stair lifts, so ask each one.
Historic-district review requirements can limit modification options in Durham's older neighborhoods. An indoor lift on the staircase is a different job from exterior changes, but check with your district before planning any outside work.
Durham Habitat for Humanity lists a typical wait of 12-15 months, and Rebuilding Together of the Triangle has a long waitlist. If the need is urgent, apply early and plan a backup.
USDA Section 504 Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants serve very-low-income homeowners, with grants for those 62+ to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so ask the Rural Development State Office whether your project qualifies.
For an older parent, start with the Region J - Central Pines Regional Council AAA at (919) 558-9394. For a veteran, call Durham County Veteran Services at (919) 560-8387.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
