Wilkes County sits on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where land climbs from roughly 900 feet in the east to over 4,000 feet in the western sections. Homes from North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro out to Moravian Falls, Ronda, Mulberry and Hays are often built into hillsides, and that shapes how a stair lift has to be planned.
About 69.8% of residents live in rural areas, and much of the housing outside the Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro core is older rural stock. Those homes are more likely to have entry steps or multi-story layouts with no accessibility features built in. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where to look for help paying for one.
Multi-level construction is common here because so many lots are hilly or mountainous. In split-level homes, a short run of stairs between levels can often take a simple straight lift, but a home with two or three short flights may need more than one unit or a curved rail.
Ranch-style homes look like an easy case, yet many sit on a slope with a walk-out basement or a tall set of entry steps. Townhouses usually have a single straight staircase, which tends to be the simplest install. Single-family homes vary the most, so we measure every staircase before recommending anything.
Across 756.33 square miles of foothills, valleys and mountains, steep grades are part of daily life. A house that is fine inside can still be hard to leave if the porch or driveway sits well above or below the door.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is one option. Where a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift may be a better fit than a seat-style lift. On older rural homes, it is worth checking the condition of porch steps and railings during the same visit.
About 23.7% of Wilkes County residents are 65 or older, and 62.0% are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because most repair grants and veteran housing grants are written for owner-occupants.
If a parent served, start with the county veterans office before paying out of pocket, since some VA grants require an application and approval first.
Household budgets here have been squeezed as the county lost over 53% of its manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2015. That makes regional, state and federal programs worth a phone call before you buy.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in their published material, and one, the VA HISA grant, excludes stair glides outright. Several do fund home modifications or accessibility work in general, so ask each one directly what it will pay for after an assessment.
For Wilkes County homeowners on a tight income, the High Country Council of Governments Urgent Repair Program is the one with a hard deadline: September 25, 2026. North Carolina also offers the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1), which does not pay for equipment but may lower a yearly bill.
The regional aging agency assesses homes and provides home modifications for eligible older adults to prevent falls; stair lifts are not specifically listed, so ask what an assessment can fund. Call (866) 219-3643.
Grants of up to $15,000 per household for accessibility modifications and urgent repairs for homeowner-occupants in Alleghany, Ashe or Wilkes County at or below 50% of area median income, with a household member who is 62+, disabled, a veteran or in another listed group. Stair lifts are not named; apply by September 25, 2026 by calling (828) 265-5434.
A Medicaid waiver for disabled adults 18 and older who need an institutional level of care, with equipment, modification and technology among its services. Stair lifts are not named, so ask your CAP/DA case manager; the program line is (888) 245-0179.
A lifetime grant of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically justified home improvements such as entrances, bathrooms and ramping. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Larger VA grants (SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026) for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The VA names ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not specifically listed.
A statewide program offering device demonstrations, short-term device loans and reuse of assistive technology for North Carolinians with disabilities. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (919) 855-3564 to ask about its inventory.
A county office in Wilkesboro that helps veterans and their dependents file claims and apply for VA benefits, including SAH, SHA and HISA housing grants. It does not run its own stair lift program; call (336) 651-7570.
Older adults
468 New Market Blvd., Boone, 28607
Veterans
416 Executive Drive, Suite F, Wilkesboro, 28697
No. The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so a veteran should talk with the Wilkes County Veterans Services Office at (336) 651-7570 about what may apply.
The Urgent Repair Program run by High Country Council of Governments offers up to $15,000 per household for accessibility modifications and urgent repairs. Income must be at or below 50% of area median income, which is $34,300 for one person and $39,200 for two, and applications are due September 25, 2026.
Not necessarily. A household member can qualify by being 62 or older, disabled, a veteran, a single parent with a dependent, part of a household of five or more, or a family with a child under 6 exposed to lead hazards.
Often, yes. Short straight runs between levels can take a straight lift, while a layout with several short flights may need more than one lift or a curved rail. A measurement of each staircase settles it.
Hillside lots in Wilkes County often mean tall entry steps or a steep walk from the driveway. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can address those, and some programs, like the Urgent Repair Program, cover accessibility modifications in general.
Region D - High Country Council of Governments AAA is at 468 New Market Blvd., Boone, 28607. Its home modification and fall prevention line is (866) 219-3643.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
