Golden Valley County sits on North Dakota's western border with Montana, where semi-arid hills and badlands rangeland roll out around Beach, Golva and Sentinel Butte. Beaver Creek and the Little Missouri River cut through the county, and the land climbs to 3,251 feet in the southwest. Out here, homes are spread out and help can be a long drive away, so staying safe in your own house matters.
Most of the houses we see in this county are single-family homes, many of them ranch-style or split-level, with some low-rise buildings in town. A lot of them were built long before anyone thought about accessibility. This page walks through how a stair lift fits these homes and which offices can help with the cost.
Golden Valley County has roughly 699 households, and the 2024 homeownership rate was 79.5%, well above the national average of about 65%. About a third of homeowners own their home free and clear. That points to people who have lived in the same house for a long time and want to keep living there.
Older rural homes were not built with wide stairways or main-floor bedrooms in mind. A stair lift is often the simplest way to keep using the whole house without a major remodel. As of the 2020 census, 22.8% of county residents were 65 or older, so this is a common question at a lot of kitchen tables here.
In a ranch-style home, the stairs that matter are usually the ones going down to a basement for laundry, storage or a spare bedroom. Those runs are often straight, which means a straight stair lift can usually be fitted to the existing stairs. Straight rails are the quickest to install and the least expensive type.
Split-level homes are different. They have short flights between levels, and some have a landing or a turn. A short straight run may only need a short rail, while a stair with a turn needs a curved lift built to the shape of the staircase. We measure each flight before recommending anything.
With the hilly terrain around Beach, Golva and Sentinel Butte, plenty of homes have exterior steps up to the front door or down to a yard. An outdoor stair lift is built for those steps, with a weather-resistant rail and seat. It can make getting in and out of the house much less of a struggle.
If someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a chair lift will not work. In that case a platform lift, which carries the person in the chair, is the better fit. We can talk through which one makes sense once we see the entry.
The county's economy is built on agriculture, and median household income was $76,528, with about 11.7% of residents below the poverty line. A small local tax base also limits how much public money is available for senior services. That makes it worth checking every program before paying out of pocket.
A good first call is the Roughrider North Human Service Zone office right in Beach at (701) 872-4121, which handles Medicaid and waiver applications. Veterans can visit the Golden Valley County Veterans Service Office on the 2nd floor of the courthouse at 150 1st Avenue SE, Beach, or call (701) 872-4678. The state Aging Services Division in Bismarck is at (701) 328-8910.
Statewide programs worth asking about include the North Dakota Medicaid HCBS Aged and Disabled Waiver, Environmental Modification, 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. The programs below are the specific offices and grants we found for this county.
The local ND HHS office in Beach at 67 1st St. SE handles Medicaid, SNAP, heating assistance and the entry point for Medicaid long-term-care and HCBS waiver applications for Billings, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger and Stark counties. Its page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (701) 872-4121, or the statewide Customer Support Center at 1-866-614-6005 for aging and waiver questions.
A statewide referral and care-coordination hub that connects older adults and adults with physical disabilities to home and community-based services, caregiver support and basic care assistance. The source does not mention stair lifts, so ask directly whether an HCBS plan of care can fund one; call (855) 462-5465.
Helps ND Medicaid members with disabilities move from a nursing facility back into a home or apartment, connecting them to housing, services and support. The state page does not mention stair lifts, so confirm with a case manager by calling (866) 614-6005.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or change a permanent home, with ramps and doorway widening named as examples. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; the Golden Valley County Veterans Service Office at (701) 872-4678 can help with the application.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member. The source does not mention stair lifts; ask the county Veterans Service Office at (701) 872-4678.
A VA health benefit for enrolled veterans who need home improvements or structural alterations related to treating a medical condition, applied for with VA Form 10-0103. The source does not state the dollar cap or mention stair lifts, so contact VA Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service to ask whether a stair lift qualifies.
The state housing finance agency lists homeowner assistance programs, but the source does not describe eligibility or mention stair lifts or mobility modifications. Call (701) 328-8080 to ask what is currently available.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
2nd Floor, Golden Valley County Courthouse, 150 1st Avenue SE, Beach, 58621
Yes. The Roughrider North Human Service Zone office is at 67 1st St. SE in Beach and handles Medicaid and HCBS waiver applications. Call (701) 872-4121. The Golden Valley County Veterans Service Office is also in Beach, on the 2nd floor of the courthouse.
None of the program sources we found name stair lifts directly. The North Dakota Medicaid HCBS Aged and Disabled Waiver, Environmental Modification is the statewide program worth asking about, and the Roughrider North Human Service Zone or ADRL at (855) 462-5465 can tell you whether it fits your situation.
Not always. If each short flight is straight, a straight lift may work on the flight you use most. If the stairs turn or have a landing in the middle, a curved lift built to that staircase is usually needed. We measure before quoting.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, with a weather-resistant rail and seat. For someone who stays in a wheelchair, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
The VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant offers up to $126,526 and the VA Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant up to $25,350 for qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the HISA grant covers medically related alterations for veterans in VA health care. Stair lifts are not named in the sources, so start with the Golden Valley County Veterans Service Office at (701) 872-4678.
The ND Assistive, Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program is one of the statewide programs to look into. You can also ask the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency at (701) 328-8080 about its homeowner assistance programs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
