Hertford County's housing is mostly older stock, not modern suburban construction. In Murfreesboro, the Historic District covers roughly 100 acres of the town's oldest section, built mostly in the Greek Revival style. Across Ahoskie, Winton and Cofield, many homes went up with more than one story and original stairways long before accessibility codes existed.
That history shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. An older parent may face a second floor or a raised first floor with no built-in way around the steps. This page walks through how local homes and terrain affect the type of lift, and which programs serving Hertford County may help with the cost.
Nineteenth-century homes, like those around the Murfreesboro Historic District, were built with stairways that were never meant to meet modern codes. Before recommending anything, we measure the run, the width and any turns or landings.
A single straight flight usually takes a straight stair lift, which mounts to the treads rather than the wall. Stairs that turn, wind or stop at a landing need a curved lift with a rail made to fit that staircase. Either way, the goal is a lift that works with the original stairs instead of tearing them out.
Hertford County sits in North Carolina's Coastal Plain, in the Chowan River basin. The land is flat and low-lying, so walking around town is easier than in hilly country, but many houses sit up off the ground on a raised first floor.
For front or back steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle the weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seated lift. We look at the entry steps along with the inside stairs so the whole path into the house is covered.
Just under half of households, 48.3%, own their homes, which matters because several repair and modification programs are limited to owners.
Housing here ranges from single-family homes and detached houses to walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. A family in a walk-up apartment faces a different set of questions than one in a family-owned house, so it helps to know which programs fit your situation before you start.
Hertford County is rural and spread out, with Winton as the county seat and Ahoskie and Murfreesboro as the other main population centers. That spread can limit how far in-home aging services reach and how many contractors are available for home modifications.
It is worth starting the conversation early. Planning a lift before a fall or hospital stay gives you time to line up funding and get the installation scheduled.
The county's economy has long rested on farming, and for many older residents a private-pay stair lift is a stretch. Program and grant funding plays a bigger role here than in many places.
Of the programs below, the USDA Section 504 program is the one listed as covering stair lifts. Several others fund accessibility or mobility improvements without naming stair lifts, so ask them directly. The VA HISA grant does not pay for stair glides. A good first call for anyone 60 or older is the Mid-East Commission Area Agency on Aging at (252) 974-1835. Veterans can reach the Hertford County Veterans Service Office in Winton at (252) 358-7811.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who need a nursing facility level of care; "equipment, modification and technology" is an approved service, but stair lifts and home modifications are not named. Call (888) 245-0179 or apply through a CAP/DA case management provider in Hertford County.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and, for those age 62 and older, grants up to $10,000; it is listed as covering stair lifts, and Hertford County qualifies as rural. Combined loan and grant help can reach $50,000.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 per year, for elderly or special-needs homeowners below 50% of area median income; it can pay for accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not named. Call (919) 877-5700.
Helps people 60 and older with up to $7,000 per program year, including mobility and accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 662-7030.
The regional intake and options-counseling point for adults 60 and older, people with disabilities and caregivers in Beaufort, Bertie, Hertford, Martin and Pitt counties; it is not a cash grant and stair lifts are not listed. Call (252) 974-1835.
Funds medically needed home changes for disabled veterans, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, but it explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts. Call (757) 722-9961.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 under SAH or $25,350 under SHA for permanent home modifications; stair lifts are not mentioned. The Hertford County Veterans Service Office at (252) 358-7811 can help with questions.
Housing rehabilitation and weatherization for low-income households in Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northampton counties; specific accessibility work such as stair lifts is not listed. Call (252) 539-4155.
Skills and community-living support for people with developmental disabilities on the NC Innovations Waiver; it does not list home modifications or stair lifts. Call (252) 353-8001.
Older adults
1502 N. Market St., Suite A, Washington, 27889
Veterans
704 N King St, Winton, 27986
Often, yes. A straight lift mounts to the stair treads, and a curved lift uses a rail built to the staircase, so the original stairway can usually stay in place. We measure first to see what fits.
Yes. The Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program serves people 60 and older with up to $7,000 per program year, including mobility and accessibility improvements. The Mid-East Commission Area Agency on Aging at (252) 974-1835 is the place to start.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund permanent home modifications for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities but do not mention stair lifts. Call the Hertford County Veterans Service Office at (252) 358-7811 to talk through your options.
The USDA Section 504 Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants program. It serves very-low-income homeowners in rural areas like Hertford County, with grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older.
The Hertford County Veterans Service Office is at 704 N King St, Winton, NC 27986, and the phone is (252) 358-7811.
Many programs require it, including USDA Section 504, the Urgent Repair Program and VA SAH and SHA. The VA HISA grant applies to owned or rented homes, but it does not cover stair glides.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
