Wayne County stretches across 557.72 square miles of level to gently rolling uplands, with the Neuse River cutting through the middle. Its 11 towns run from Goldsboro, the county seat, to Mount Olive, Fremont, Pikeville, Dudley and smaller places like Eureka, Brogden and Walnut Creek. More than half of residents, 53.6%, live in rural areas, so many homes sit well outside the city core.
That mix matters when you are thinking about a stair lift. A farmhouse near the river bottoms, a townhouse in Goldsboro and an older multi-story building downtown each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits where, and which local and state programs may help with the cost.
Most of the county's housing is single-family homes, townhouses and duplexes, with low-rise buildings and walk-up apartments mixed in. A single straight staircase from the first floor to the second is the simplest case. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually goes in without changing the house.
Townhouses and duplexes often have stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner. Those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of your staircase, which takes a measuring visit first. Walk-up apartments are trickier because the stairs are often shared, so the building owner has to agree before anything is installed.
Goldsboro's historic core includes National Register of Historic Places properties such as Goldsboro Union Station and First Presbyterian Church. Nearby stands the Romanesque Revival Oheb Shalom Synagogue. These landmarks reflect a downtown built on an older, multi-story pattern.
Homes from that same era tend to have narrow or steep stairways, tight turns and old plaster walls. That does not rule out a lift. It does mean an in-person measurement is the first step, because the rail and seat have to clear the stairway width and any doors at the top or bottom.
Out in the countryside, the land is mostly flat, but plenty of houses still sit up off the ground with steps to the porch or the back door. For those few outside steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift built to handle the weather is one option. When the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better fit.
Since so much of the county is rural, it helps to plan for both the inside staircase and the way in and out of the house. Getting upstairs does little good if the front steps are the real barrier.
Many families here are helping a parent stay in the home they have lived in for years. Veterans have their own set of benefits to check, though not every VA grant pays for a stair lift, as the program list below explains.
None of the programs listed here names stair lifts directly as a covered item, and one VA grant rules them out. Several do fund accessibility or mobility improvements, so a stair lift may qualify case by case. The best move is to call and describe exactly what you need.
For people 60 and older, start with Wayne County Services on Aging at (919) 731-1591 or the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging at (252) 638-3185. Veterans can visit Wayne County Veterans Services at 2001‑D E Ash Street in Goldsboro. North Carolina also offers the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1), which can ease the cost of staying in your home.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and qualify for NC Medicaid Direct. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications, so coverage is decided case by case through a CAP/DA case manager; call (888) 245-0179.
Offers up to $7,000 per individual per program year for people 60 and older, including mobility and accessibility improvements, and Wayne County is a funded county. Stair lifts are not named, and a home cannot be served again within 3 consecutive years; call (800) 662-7030.
The regional aging agency for Wayne and eight other counties, and the local administrator of HCCBG services. It does not name stair lifts, so call (252) 638-3185 for the current home-repair provider and waitlist status.
The county's senior center and referral point for county and state senior programs, including SHIIP and the Pathway of Hope Day Respite Program. It does not list stair lift funding itself but can point you to programs that might; call (919) 731-1591.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 a year, for elderly homeowners or homeowners with special needs with household income below 50% of area median income. It can pay for accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not named; call (919) 877-5700.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed home changes, depending on disability status. It specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift; call (800) 827-1000 with questions.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. Stair lifts are not named among the listed examples; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
233 Middle Street, Suite 300, New Bern, 28560
Veterans
2001‑D E Ash Street, Goldsboro, 27533
Often, yes. Older multi-story homes can have narrow or turning stairways, so we measure in person first to confirm the rail and seat will clear the space and any doors.
The HCCBG Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program serves people 60 and older and allows up to $7,000 per program year, including mobility and accessibility improvements. Stair lifts are not named, so call Wayne County Services on Aging at (919) 731-1591 or the Eastern Carolina Council AAA at (252) 638-3185 to ask.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides. Veterans can ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or visit Wayne County Veterans Services at 2001‑D E Ash Street in Goldsboro about other options.
The CAP/DA waiver source does not mention stair lifts. Whether it can fund one is decided case by case through the CAP/DA case manager, and you can start by calling (888) 245-0179.
An outdoor-rated stair lift can handle a short run of exterior steps. If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot move to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
The Region P - Eastern Carolina Council of Governments AAA is at 233 Middle Street, Suite 300, New Bern, 28560. The phone number is (252) 638-3185.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
