Macon County has only two incorporated towns, Franklin and Highlands, and much of its housing sits outside them on steep, unincorporated mountain land. Many of those homes are built into hillsides, so getting from a lower-level garage or basement up to the main floor often means climbing a full flight of stairs.
That layout is why stair lifts come up so often here. With 28.4% of residents age 65 or older, plenty of families in Franklin, Highlands and the coves in between are asking how to keep a parent on the main level, or how to keep using a home they have no plans to leave.
The county covers 519.67 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and 74.7% of it is rural. Steep river valleys and slopes mean many lots are hilly, and builders often stacked homes into the grade rather than spreading them out.
For a stair lift, that usually shows up in one of two ways. Some homes have a single interior flight between floors. Others have stairs that run from a lower-level garage or basement up into the living area, sometimes with a turn or landing along the way.
Ranch-style homes and many single-family and detached houses have a straight interior staircase, which is the simplest and usually the quickest install. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall.
Split-level homes and hillside houses with a turn or landing usually need a curved rail built to fit that staircase. If the trouble is the steps from the driveway or garage up to the door, an outdoor lift made for weather may be the better answer. For a wheelchair user, a platform lift is worth a look.
Walk-up apartments are a different case. The stairs are often shared, so the building owner has to agree before anything is installed.
Macon County draws retirees for its scenery and lower cost of living, and the county's median age was 49.7 in 2024. Many people moved into multi-level mountain homes when the stairs were no trouble at all.
If that includes someone in your family, call Macon County Veteran's Services at 104 East Main Street in Franklin before you buy, since VA rules on stair lifts are specific.
None of the programs below name stair lifts outright, and one, the VA HISA grant, says plainly that it does not pay for stair glides. Several do fund home modifications or accessibility work, and approval is usually case by case.
A good first call for anyone 60 or older is the Region A - Southwestern Commission AAA in Sylva at (828) 586-1962. It coordinates Housing and Home Improvement Assistance for Macon County. Homeowners in this rural county with very low income may also want to ask about USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who need nursing-facility level care but want to stay home; its modification, equipment and technology budget rose from $13,000 to $28,000, though stair lifts are not named and items are approved case by case. Call (833) 522-5429.
Not a cash grant but the access point for services for adults 60 and older and caregivers in Macon and six neighboring counties, including Housing and Home Improvement Assistance; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (828) 586-1962.
For people 60 or older with no one able to do the work for them, up to $7,000 per person per program year, and mobility and accessibility improvements are one funded category, though stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 662-7030 or start with the Southwestern Commission.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 per year you stay in the home, for elderly or special-needs homeowners below 50% of area median income; it can pay for accessibility modifications but does not list stair lifts by name. Call (919) 877-5700.
For very-low-income rural homeowners: loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; funds can improve a home or remove safety hazards, but stair lifts are not named. Call (919) 873-2000.
Pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides, porch lifts and other removable equipment, so it does not cover stair lifts. Questions can go to the Franklin VA Clinic at (828) 369-1781.
Grants for homeowning veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not name stair lifts. Call Macon County Veteran's Services at (828) 349-2151.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in Macon and six nearby counties with information and referral, peer support, advocacy and skills training; it does not list stair lift or home-modification funding. Call (828) 631-1167.
Older adults
125 Bonnie Lane, Sylva, 28779
Veterans
104 East Main Street, Franklin, 28734
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call Macon County Veteran's Services at (828) 349-2151 to talk through your situation.
CAP/DA serves adults 18 and older who need nursing-facility level care and qualify for NC Medicaid, and DisAbility Partners helps people with disabilities of any age find resources. Most aging programs here start at 60.
Usually yes. If the flight is straight, a straight rail is the simple option. If it turns or has a landing, as many hillside homes in Macon County do, you will likely need a curved rail.
Very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan may qualify for a Section 504 grant of up to $10,000 lifetime, and grant and loan can be combined up to $50,000. Call (919) 873-2000.
The Region A - Southwestern Commission AAA is at 125 Bonnie Lane in Sylva. The phone number is (828) 586-1962.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
