Emmons County stretches across 1,555 square miles of low rolling hills and farmland, with the Missouri River along its western edge. Linton, the county seat, and Strasburg are its two towns, and many families live well outside either one on working farms.
That spread matters when stairs start getting hard. Older farmhouses here often have interior stairs between floors, and help can be a long drive away. This page walks through how local homes fit different stair lifts and which offices and programs can help with the cost.
The county's housing runs from pioneer-era history, including sod houses built from prairie grass and dirt blocks when lumber was scarce, to conventional single-family homes. What we see most when we measure stairs today are detached houses, ranch-style homes, split-level homes and older multi-level farmhouses.
A multi-level farmhouse usually has a full flight between the main floor and the bedrooms upstairs. If that staircase runs straight from top to bottom, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest and least costly fit. Stairs with a landing, a turn or a narrow winding section need a curved lift built to that exact staircase.
Split-level homes often have short flights of a few steps between levels. A ranch-style home may only have stairs to the basement. Either can be handled, but the right answer depends on which floor holds the bedroom, bathroom and laundry.
About 33.1% of Emmons County residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 51.5 years. Around 74.5% of residents are homeowners, so many people here can make changes to their own houses rather than asking a landlord.
For a family deciding between moving a parent into town or keeping them on the home place, a stair lift can keep the upstairs bedroom in use. It is often a smaller project than adding a main-floor bedroom or bathroom.
Linton is the largest city in a sparsely populated, geographically isolated part of the Great Plains. Residents often travel significant distances for medical care and for installation services, so it pays to plan one well-measured visit rather than several trips.
Before a visit, note every set of stairs the person uses each day, including porch or entry steps. Outside steps can be served by an outdoor-rated stair lift, and a platform lift is an option when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. Bringing up all of this at once lets us quote the whole home in one trip.
Agriculture drives the local economy. The median household income was $67,368 in 2023, and 13.7% of residents lived below the poverty line, so many families combine personal funds with outside help.
None of the sources below name stair lifts directly, so ask each one plainly. The ND Assistive loan program is the closest match, since it finances home modifications for North Dakotans with disabilities. Veterans should start with the county veterans office in Linton, and the South Country Human Service Zone is the place to apply for ND Medicaid.
The Aging Services Division in Bismarck at (701) 328-8910 is another call worth making. You can also ask about Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled (SPED / Ex-SPED), North Dakota Medicaid State Plan Personal Care, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the North Dakota Homestead Property Tax Credit for Seniors and Disabled.
The local ND Health & Human Services office in Linton at 100 4th St. NW, serving Emmons, Dickey, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan and McIntosh counties, where residents apply for ND Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, child care assistance and heating assistance. Its information does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (701) 254-4502.
Federal grants for veterans or service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, with FY2026 maximums of up to $126,526 for SAH, $25,350 for SHA, and $50,961 or $9,100 for TRA, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The VA gives ramps and widened doorways as examples but does not name stair lifts, so ask the Emmons County Veterans Service Office at (701) 254-5410.
A nonprofit offering information and referral, peer support, advocacy, skills training and transitional services to North Dakotans with disabilities, with offices in Bismarck, roughly 60 miles from Linton, and Dickinson. It does not list a stair lift or home-modification fund, so treat it as a referral resource; call (701) 222-3636 or TTY 1-800-489-5013.
A statewide low-interest loan of up to $50,000 at a 2% fixed rate (subject to change) for North Dakota residents with disabilities, with home modifications such as walk-in showers and ramps named as eligible and home ownership required for those projects. Stair lifts are not named on the program page, and poor credit is considered rather than automatically disqualifying; call (800) 895-4728.
A grant typically not exceeding $2,000, one per 12-month period, for North Dakota residents with a documented assistive-technology need not covered by insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or other sources, who meet income guidelines. Stair lifts and structural home modifications are not mentioned, so it works best paired with other funding; call (800) 895-4728.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
Courthouse, 100 4th Street NW, Linton, 58552
Most interior farmhouse stairs can take a lift. A straight flight uses a straight lift, while stairs with a landing or turn need a curved lift made for that staircase. We measure on site to confirm.
The sources we have do not say. Apply and ask at the South Country Human Service Zone office in Linton, (701) 254-4502, and ask the Aging Services Division at (701) 328-8910 what Medicaid-related options might apply.
Yes. The applicant may be the end user, a family member or an approved representative. The person using the equipment must be a North Dakota resident with a disability, and home-modification loans require owning the home. Call (800) 895-4728.
Call the Emmons County Veterans Service Office at (701) 254-5410. It is in the courthouse at 100 4th Street NW in Linton and can help with VA housing grants for qualifying service-connected disabilities.
The Dakota Center for Independent Living's nearest offices are in Bismarck, roughly 60 miles from Linton, and Dickinson. You can reach it by phone at (701) 222-3636 without making the drive.
Probably not by itself. Awards typically do not exceed $2,000, though you can request more to pair with other funding. Stair lifts are not named as a covered category, so ask ND Assistive first.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
