Hocking County stretches across 424 square miles of Appalachian Ohio, with part of it inside Wayne National Forest and much of it drained by the Hocking River and Salt Creek. Most people here live outside town limits. As of 2020, 70.6% of the county's population lived in rural areas, at about 66 people per square mile.
That spread-out pattern shapes how families handle stairs. The homes in Logan, Laurelville, Haydenville, Murray City, West Logan and Hide-A-Way Hills are often a long drive from services, so staying safe at home on every floor matters. This page walks through what local houses mean for a stair lift and where Hocking County residents can look for help paying for one.
Much of the county's housing comes from two eras. The Logan Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2010, holds 19th-century farmhouses along with civic and commercial buildings. Haydenville, listed as a Historic Town on March 20, 1973, reflects small housing built for a former coal and mining community.
Both kinds of homes were built long before modern accessibility codes. Their original staircases tend to be narrow and steep, and they are structural parts of the house, not something you can open up or rebuild easily. That is why we measure carefully before recommending a rail.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of steps with no turns or landings. Many of the county's single-family homes and detached houses have that kind of staircase, and a straight rail is usually the simplest install.
Steep, narrow stairs in older farmhouses and mining-town homes often turn or have a landing partway up. Those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. Split-level homes can be a different puzzle, since there may be short flights between several levels rather than one long climb.
Ranch-style homes may have no inside stairs at all, but rural properties often have steps at the porch, the garage or down to a basement. On multi-level rural lots, an outdoor lift can be worth a look for the steps outside the door.
About 21.3% of residents in the county's towns are 65 or older, and 66.0% own their homes. For owners, a permanently installed lift is a practical way to keep using the whole house.
Veteran benefits have specific rules about stair lifts, covered below, so it helps to know them before you apply.
Cost is a real question here. Median household income was $62,960 in 2024, and 16% of residents lived below the poverty line, so many seniors look to Medicaid, VA and nonprofit programs first.
None of the local programs below names stair lifts outright, so call and ask how your situation fits. PASSPORT does cover Minor Home Modifications, and a stair lift could potentially be approved case by case when it is medically necessary and part of your approved care plan. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
Buckeye Hills AAA (AAA 8) is at 1400 Pike St., Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 374-9436. Veterans can reach the Hocking County Veterans Service Commission at 30657 Redrock Court, Logan, OH 43138, phone (740) 385-7507. Other statewide options include the Ohio Home Care Waiver and Ohio HOME Choice (Money Follows the Person).
An Ohio Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who need hands-on help with daily activities; it covers Minor Home Modifications but does not name stair lifts, which may be considered case by case under a physician-approved care plan. Hocking County residents apply through Buckeye Hills at (800) 331-2644.
A regional program for older adults and people with disabilities that covers ramps, tub-to-shower replacements, grab bars and handrails; stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 331-2644 to ask about your project.
Home repair help for low-income homeowners in Athens, Hocking and Perry counties, including accessibility needs; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (740) 767-4500.
A VA health-benefit grant for home structural changes tied to a documented disability, with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the disability. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are explicitly excluded.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 maximums of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA describes uses like ramps and wider doorways but does not name stair lifts.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities of any age in Hocking and nearby counties, offering assistive technology and independent-living support; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (740) 689-1494 to ask about current assistive-technology help.
Older adults
1400 Pike St., Marietta, 45750
Veterans
30657 Redrock Court, Logan, 43138
Often, yes, but those staircases usually cannot be widened or rebuilt because they are structural. If the stairs turn or have a landing, a curved rail made to fit is the usual answer. We measure first so the rail matches what is actually there.
PASSPORT covers Minor Home Modifications, but its listed services do not name stair lifts. One could potentially be approved case by case if it is medically necessary and in your approved care plan. Ask Buckeye Hills at (800) 331-2644.
PASSPORT requires age 60 or older at enrollment. SOCIL serves people with disabilities of any age in Hocking County, and HAPCAP's home repair program is based on income, not age.
No. HISA explicitly excludes stair glides. Veterans can call the Hocking County Veterans Service Commission in Logan at (740) 385-7507 to talk through other VA options.
For aging services, Buckeye Hills AAA (AAA 8) is at (740) 374-9436 or (800) 331-2644. Low-income homeowners can call HAPCAP at (740) 767-4500. Veterans can reach the Veterans Service Commission at (740) 385-7507.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
