From Montrose and Forest City to Hallstead, Great Bend and Union Dale, Susquehanna County is full of older two- and three-story houses with their original staircases. The county has 13 boroughs and 29 towns spread across the Endless Mountains, and most people here live in single-family homes they own.
Those stairs were built for a different stage of life. A stair lift lets you keep using the bedroom upstairs or the laundry in the basement without tearing into walls or adding a first-floor suite. This page explains which lift types fit the homes around here and where county residents can look for help with the cost.
Much of the housing in the boroughs is older two- and three-story construction typical of northeastern Pennsylvania. Original staircases in these homes are often narrow, steep or turn at a landing, so we measure every flight before recommending anything.
A straight staircase with no turns usually takes a straight rail lift, which is the simplest install. Stairs that wrap around a landing or change direction need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase. In a three-story house, the question is often which floors you actually need to reach every day.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between levels. Each run can be handled on its own, so it helps to decide which levels matter most before planning a lift.
Ranch-style homes put living space on one floor, but the basement stairs still matter if the washer, dryer or furnace is down there. In low-rise buildings, shared stairways usually need the owner or building manager involved before anything is installed.
The county covers 832 square miles and is very mountainous, especially in the east. Its highest point, North Knob, sits just west of Union Dale. On this kind of ground, many houses sit on slopes, with steps up to the front door or down to a garage.
Where the problem is outside, an outdoor stair lift built for weather can cover entry steps. Where a wheelchair has to go up with the rider, a platform lift is the better fit. We look at the slope, the step count and how you come and go before suggesting one.
About 24.3% of county residents are 65 or older, and 78.0% own their homes. That is a lot of people living in houses they plan to stay in, with stairs that get harder each year.
The Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs office at 31 Lake Ave in Montrose, (570) 278-5955, is the local place to start asking about VA housing help.
Start with the B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging, which serves Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Tioga counties from 220 Main St. in Towanda. It does not pay for stair lifts directly, but it does the assessment for state programs like OPTIONS and the Community HealthChoices waiver.
If you qualify for Medicaid and need nursing-facility level of care, Community HealthChoices lists stair lifts among the home adaptations it can authorize. The Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation offers 0% mini-loans from $100 to $7,000 and low-interest loans above that. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look into the VA grants listed below.
The county's aging office assesses adults 60 and older, adults with disabilities and veterans, then refers or authorizes services under OPTIONS and the CHC waiver. Stair lifts are not listed, and it does not fund them directly; call (570) 265-6121.
A state-funded in-home services program for Pennsylvanians 60 and older that includes home modifications for safety and accessibility, with a sliding-scale co-pay for higher earners and possible waiting lists. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; apply through the B/S/S/T AAA or call (717) 783-1550.
This Medicaid waiver covers stair lifts as medically necessary home adaptations or accessibility equipment for adults 21 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules. Call (800) 982-4346.
Federal grants that do not need to be repaid, for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or co-own the home: up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; call (800) 827-1000.
Covers stair lifts through 0% mini-loans of $100 to $7,000, low-interest loans at 3.75% above $7,000, and a mini-grant up to $1,000 for lower-income households with loans under $7,000. Call (484) 674-0506.
Serves people with disabilities in a 10-county area that includes Susquehanna County, helping arrange home modifications and connecting residents to funding. Stair lifts are not listed and it offers no direct grant; call (570) 344-7211.
Older adults
220 Main St., Towanda, 18848
Veterans
31 Lake Ave, Montrose, 18801
Often, yes. Straight staircases take a straight rail, and stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail made for that staircase. We measure first so the recommendation matches your stairs.
Yes. Community HealthChoices serves adults 21 and older who meet its medical and Medicaid rules, PATF loans are open to Pennsylvanians of all ages, and MyCIL serves people with disabilities in Susquehanna County.
The B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging at (570) 265-6121. It handles assessments for OPTIONS and the CHC waiver and can point you to the right program.
An outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle entry steps. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
The B/S/S/T AAA office is at 220 Main St. in Towanda and serves all four of its counties. Calling (570) 265-6121 is the easiest way to start.
Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs at 31 Lake Ave in Montrose, (570) 278-5955. You can also reach the VA at (800) 827-1000 about SAH and SHA grants.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
