Sampson County spreads across 947.83 square miles of flat coastal plain, cut by the Black River, South River and Six Runs Creek. Most people here live out in the country, with 84.2% of residents in rural areas as of the 2020 Census. Homes range from old farmsteads near Turkey and Harrells to houses and townhouses in Clinton, the county seat.
That mix matters when you are thinking about a stair lift. Many farmhouses outside Clinton are one-story or story-and-a-half, so the first question is simple: does your home actually have an interior staircase someone needs to climb every day? If it does, a lift can often keep the upstairs in use instead of moving a bedroom downstairs.
The county's National Register listings are mostly individual farms, like the Lewis Highsmith Farm, the Fleet Matthis Farm and the Dr. David Dickson Sloan Farm. That tells you a lot about the housing outside town: scattered farmhouses and rural homesteads built across the 19th and 20th centuries.
In a story-and-a-half house, the stairs to the upper floor are often a single straight run. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit there. If the stairs turn at a landing or wind around a corner, a curved lift built to that staircase is the answer, and it takes longer to make.
In older homes we also look at what the rail will mount to. The lift attaches to the stair treads, not the wall, but worn or uneven treads in an old farmhouse need a close look before anything is ordered.
Clinton holds most of the county's historic districts and commercial buildings, and Downtown Roseboro has one as well. Housing in and around these towns includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings.
Townhouses often have a straight flight between floors, which suits a standard straight lift. In a walk-up apartment or low-rise building, the stairs may be shared space, so the building owner has to agree before a lift goes in. Ask about that early, before measuring.
Flat terrain means fewer hillside driveways and steep yards than in other parts of the state. The challenge here is distance. With homes spread over a large, sparsely populated county, contractors and in-home service providers have farther to travel to reach each house.
Porch and entry steps are a separate question from interior stairs. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and a vertical platform lift can work where a wheelchair user needs to get from the yard to the porch. For a short rise, some families choose a ramp instead, which is also something local repair programs build.
Both groups have specific programs worth checking before paying out of pocket.
The county's poverty rate is 21.8%, and median household income is $52,432. If cost is the sticking point, the programs below are where to start, and the Veteran's Office in Clinton can help veterans sort out which VA grant, if any, applies.
No program in the list below names stair lifts in its source material, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several programs do fund home repairs or accessibility changes, so it is worth asking each one directly whether a lift could be part of your plan.
For older adults, start with the Region M - Mid-Carolina Regional Council AAA in Fayetteville at (910) 323-4191. Veterans can call the county Veteran's Office at (910) 592-2862, located at 405 County Complex Rd, Building B, Clinton, NC 28328.
North Carolina also has a property tax relief option for older and disabled homeowners, the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1). It does not pay for a lift, but it can ease the household budget.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who meet a nursing facility level of care and are enrolled in NC Medicaid Direct, paying for home and community-based services under an individual Plan of Care. The source does not list stair lifts or home modifications; call (888) 245-0179 to ask.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities (or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities) for medically necessary home alterations. It does not cover stair glides or porch lifts; apply through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at Fayetteville VA Coastal Health Care.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or remodel an accessible home. The source does not mention stair lifts; apply through VA.gov, in person or by mail.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands or certain breathing injuries, to adapt a home. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; apply through VA.gov, in person or by mail.
The regional aging agency serving Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson counties, offering Home and Community Care Block Grant services to older adults. The source does not itemize stair lifts or home modifications; the Region M office can be reached at (910) 323-4191.
A county program for residents 60 and older that does minor home repairs, builds wheelchair ramps and installs grab bars and handrails. Stair lifts are not among the listed repairs.
State-funded home repair help for people 60 and older who have no one able and willing to do the work, capped at $7,000 per person per program year. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 662-7030.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 per year, for elderly or special-needs homeowners at or below 50% of area median income facing urgent safety repairs, and it can pay for accessibility modifications after an injury or serious illness. Stair lifts are not named specifically; call (919) 877-5700.
Rural repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, plus grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, for households at or below 50% of area median income. Listed repairs include ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs but not stair lifts; call (919) 873-2000.
Older adults
130 Gillespie St., Fayetteville, 28301
Veterans
405 County Complex Rd, Building B, Clinton, 28328
Often, yes, if there is an interior staircase to the upper floor. A single straight run usually takes a straight lift, while stairs that turn need a curved lift made for that staircase. We check the condition of older treads before ordering.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly. The county Veteran's Office in Clinton is at (910) 592-2862.
Yes. Sampson County Senior Services runs a Minor Home Repairs Program for residents 60 and older, and the NC DHHS Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program serves people 60 and older up to $7,000 per program year. Neither names stair lifts, so ask whether one could be included.
Call the Region M - Mid-Carolina Regional Council AAA at (910) 323-4191. It serves Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson counties and administers Home and Community Care Block Grant services.
Yes. Distance is the main hurdle in a county this rural, since contractors and service providers have farther to drive. Flat land helps, because outdoor steps and porch access are usually simpler than on hilly lots.
The CAP/DA waiver covers home and community-based services for adults 18 and older who meet a nursing facility level of care. Its overview page does not list stair lifts, so call (888) 245-0179 to ask what your Plan of Care can include.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
