Dunn County is big country. Its rolling hills run from the Missouri River on the northeast edge to the Killdeer Mountains in the northwest, and the homes in Killdeer, Halliday, Dunn Center and out on the farms and ranches between them sit far apart. Many of those houses were built with full staircases to a basement or a second floor.
That spread matters when stairs start to get hard. Major medical facilities are generally a 60-plus-mile drive away in Dickinson or farther, so staying safe at home carries more weight here than it might in a city. This page walks through how local homes and terrain shape the choice of stair lift and which offices can help with the cost.
Most homes here are single-family, owner-occupied houses rather than apartments, and about 65.0% of residents own their homes. Ranch-style homes, split-level homes and other detached houses are common. Few aging residents have the option of an elevator building or a single-level unit in town.
A ranch-style home often has one straight flight down to the basement. If the laundry, a bedroom or the freezer is down there, a straight stair lift on that flight is usually the simplest fix. Straight rails tend to be the quickest to fit and the easiest to measure.
Split-level homes are different. They usually have short flights between levels, sometimes with a turn or landing. Depending on how the flights connect, that can call for a curved rail or a separate lift on each flight, so we measure every set of steps before recommending anything.
Out in the countryside around Killdeer and Halliday, the trouble often starts before the front door. Houses built on rolling ground can have porch steps or a raised entry, and those steps take weather year-round.
For these spots, an outdoor stair lift built for exposure to the elements is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a chair. We look at the entry, the ground and the path to the vehicle before suggesting either.
About 14.6% of Dunn County residents are 65 or older. With the county stretching across roughly 2,082 square miles and even straddling two time zones, a move to assisted living often means leaving the area entirely.
A stair lift will not solve every problem, but it can keep the whole house usable. For an older parent living a long drive from family and from Dickinson, being able to reach the basement or the upstairs bedroom safely can be the difference between staying and moving.
Several VA grants pay for home modifications for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, though the VA's pages describe ramps and doorway widening as examples and do not name stair lifts directly.
The Dunn County Veterans Service office is at 205 Owens Street in Manning, (701) 573-8387. A Veterans Service Officer can help file VA claims and point you toward the right benefit before you buy.
No program on this page lists stair lifts by name, so the honest answer is: ask before you buy. The best local starting point is the Roughrider North Human Service Zone office in Manning, which handles applications for ND Medicaid and Home and Community-Based Services. A case manager there can tell you what an individual care plan may cover.
For rural homeowners with very low incomes, the USDA Section 504 program offers repair loans, and grants for those age 62 or older. Veterans have the VA grants listed below. The state Aging Services Division in Bismarck, (701) 328-8910, can also help sort out options.
Statewide programs worth asking about include Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled (SPED / Ex-SPED), the ND Assistive Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), North Dakota Medicaid State Plan Personal Care and the North Dakota Homestead Property Tax Credit for Seniors and Disabled. Details for each program with a local contact are below.
The local ND Health & Human Services intake office at 205 Owens St., Suite 210, Manning, where Dunn County residents apply for ND Medicaid, HCBS, SNAP and other services. Stair lifts are not listed on its page, but it is the entry point for Medicaid in-home supports; call (701) 573-5385.
A statewide information and referral line for seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers looking for long-term-care and in-home options. It is not a funding source and does not list stair lifts; call (855) 462-5465.
Medicaid services that help older adults and people with physical disabilities who need a nursing-facility level of care stay at home instead. Stair lifts are not listed, so confirm benefits with a case manager at the Roughrider North office or call (855) 462-5465.
Helps ND Medicaid members with disabilities move from a nursing home or the Life Skills and Transition Center into a home or apartment. The source does not say whether stair lifts are part of the support; call (855) 462-5465.
A Medicaid program for ND Medicaid members age 55 and older that provides needed health care while they stay at home. In-home modifications like stair lifts are not listed; call (855) 462-5465.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62 or older, for very-low-income rural homeowners; grants must remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named as a covered repair, so confirm with USDA.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a home, usable up to 6 times. The VA mentions ramps and doorway widening but not stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans or qualifying family members with disabilities such as loss of both hands, severe burns or certain breathing injuries. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 827-1000.
Helps SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans adapt a family member's home where they are temporarily living: up to $50,961 if SAH-eligible or up to $9,100 if SHA-eligible (FY2026). Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 827-1000.
Helps North Dakota veterans and families apply for federal and state veterans benefits, including health care, pensions and long-term care. It does not list stair lifts; call the state office at (701) 239-7165 or Dunn County Veterans Service in Manning at (701) 573-8387.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
205 Owens Street, Manning, 58642
None of the Medicaid program pages list stair lifts by name. HCBS can fund in-home supports based on an individual care plan, so the next step is to apply through the Roughrider North Human Service Zone office in Manning at (701) 573-5385 and ask a case manager directly.
The USDA Section 504 grants require age 62 or older, but the loans do not carry that age rule. PACE is open to ND Medicaid members age 55 and older, and HCBS covers older adults and people with physical disabilities who meet a nursing-facility level of care.
Start with Dunn County Veterans Service at 205 Owens Street in Manning, (701) 573-8387, or the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs at (701) 239-7165. They help with VA claims, and the VA's SAH, SHA and TRA grants can be reached at (800) 827-1000.
It can. Split-level homes often have short flights between levels, and depending on turns and landings the answer may be a curved rail or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure every flight in the home before giving a recommendation.
The Aging and Disability Resource-LINK (ND Care Choice) at (855) 462-5465 is a statewide referral line for seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers. The Aging Services Division in Bismarck, (701) 328-8910, is another state contact.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
