From Wahpeton on the Red River to Hankinson, Lidgerwood, Wyndmere, Fairmount, Walcott, Colfax, Abercrombie and Christine, Richland County is mostly single-family houses on flat valley ground and farmsteads. Many of those homes have a basement or a second floor reached by stairs that were easy at forty and harder now.
This page covers how local homes shape the kind of stair lift that fits, what winter does to entry steps, and which offices in Wahpeton and around the state are worth a phone call when you start working out how to pay for it.
Most of the housing here is single-family homes and detached houses, with some townhouses, low-rise buildings and split-level homes mixed in. In Wahpeton, the county seat, there are roughly 3,459 households averaging 1.91 persons each, and 13.6% of households have someone age 65+ living alone.
A single straight flight to a basement or upstairs bedroom is the simplest case. A straight stair lift runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall, so it usually goes in without remodeling.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights, sometimes with a turn or landing, and that can mean a curved rail or more than one straight lift. We measure each flight before recommending either.
The county is primarily flat, with rolling hills in the southwest and northwest, and much of it is farmland along the Red, Wild Rice and Sheyenne Rivers. Flat ground helps, but it does not remove the steps up to a front door or a raised porch.
Wahpeton has a humid continental climate with cold, sometimes severely cold winters. Ice and snow on entry steps are a seasonal hazard, so some households look at an outdoor stair lift built for weather, or a platform lift where a wheelchair is involved.
If the main worry is getting in and out of the house rather than reaching the basement, say so during the visit. The answer may be outside the house, not inside.
The 2020 census put the owner-occupied rate at 71.7%, which matters because owners can install equipment without asking a landlord.
Countywide, the median household income is $72,524 and about 10.9% of residents are at or below the poverty line. Many families here pay for accessibility equipment out of pocket, so it pays to check every funding door first.
None of the local or federal programs below name stair lifts in their published materials. That does not rule them out; it means you need to ask directly before you buy.
Veterans should start with the Richland County Veterans Service Office at (701) 642-7807, which helps file for VA benefits and is the local starting point for the VA housing grants. Other residents can call the Richland County Human Service Zone at (701) 642-7751 to apply for ND Medicaid, or Valley Senior Services at (701) 293-1440 for a referral.
Statewide, ask about 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 Aging Services Division in Bismarck can be reached at (701) 328-8910.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans or service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The source lists ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts; the Richland County Veterans Service Office at (701) 642-7807 can help you apply.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source, and a related Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant exists for veterans living temporarily in a family member's home.
A free county office on the 2nd floor of the Law Enforcement Center at 413 3rd Ave N in Wahpeton that helps veterans and their dependents or survivors apply for VA benefits. It does not list stair lifts, but it is the local place to start on VA housing grants; call (701) 642-7807.
A state Medicaid service for people age 17.5+ enrolled in ND Medicaid who meet needs-based criteria, including help to stay in your own home. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so call (701) 328-7068 or email [email protected] to ask whether they qualify.
The Wahpeton office at 413 3rd Ave N where residents apply for ND Medicaid, SNAP, heating assistance and other benefits. It is an application office, not a funding source, and does not describe home modifications; call (701) 642-7751.
The Area Agency on Aging for Richland County, offering Meals on Wheels, community dining, transportation and resource referrals. No home modification program is listed, but it can point seniors to other aging-in-place help at (701) 293-1440.
Free temporary ramps with railings for people in southeast North Dakota who need short-term home access, such as after surgery or a hospital stay, for up to about 90 days. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call the Wahpeton office at (701) 672-1648.
A free service that connects individuals, families and professionals with disability-related resources. It does not name stair lift funding, but it is a reasonable first call at (701) 672-1648 or toll-free at 800-450-0459.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
413 3rd Ave N, Law Enforcement Center (2nd Floor), Wahpeton, 58075
Often, yes, but split-level homes may have several short flights with landings. Depending on the layout, that can mean a curved rail or more than one straight lift, which we decide after measuring.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather, and with the ice and snow Richland County sees each winter, some households choose one for the entry. Where a wheelchair is used, a platform lift may fit better.
The SAH and SHA grant materials list ramps and wider doorways as examples and do not name stair lifts. Call the Richland County Veterans Service Office at (701) 642-7807 to ask what applies to your situation, including VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
The North Dakota 1915(i) Housing Support service is open to ND Medicaid members age 17.5+ who meet its criteria, though stair lifts are not named. Freedom Resource Center's referral service is open to anyone in its service area.
Apply at the Richland County Human Service Zone, 413 3rd Ave N in Wahpeton, or call (701) 642-7751. That office also serves Ransom and Sargent counties.
Veterans should call the county Veterans Service Office at (701) 642-7807. Others can try Valley Senior Services at (701) 293-1440 or the Aging Services Division at (701) 328-8910.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
