Richland County runs from the older neighborhoods around downtown Columbia out to Blythewood, Irmo, Lake Murray of Richland, Hopkins, Gadsden and Eastover. In between you find Forest Acres, Dentsville, St. Andrews, Arcadia Lakes and a long list of unincorporated communities. The homes change a lot along the way, and so does the kind of stair lift that makes sense.
Close to Columbia, many houses are decades old and have two stories, which is where most stair lift calls start. Farther out, ranch-style homes are common, so the question there is often a few porch or entry steps rather than a full flight. This page walks through what we see in Richland County homes and where to look for help paying for a lift.
The 2020 Census counted 182,408 housing units in Richland County, with 59.4% owner-occupied. Much of that stock is in-town construction that has been standing for decades: single-family homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes alongside newer ranch-style homes in the outlying areas.
A straight staircase with no turns or landings is the simplest fit, and many townhouses and older two-story homes near downtown Columbia have one. Those rails can usually be measured and installed without a custom bend.
Stairs that turn, wrap around a landing or split into short runs need a curved rail built to that staircase. Split-level homes often fall into this group, since you may be dealing with two short flights instead of one long one.
The county sits where the Broad and Saluda Rivers form the Congaree River, with the Wateree River to the east and Lake Murray to the west. Congaree National Park brings bottomland forest and swamp terrain to the south. That mix of city core, floodplain and rural land means lot grading and foundations vary from one property to the next.
For homes raised off the ground or set on a slope, the hard part is often the steps up to the door. An outdoor stair lift rated for weather can handle a straight run of exterior steps. When someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift or a ramp is usually the better match, and the slope of the yard decides how much room a ramp would take.
About 12.8% of Richland County residents are 65 or older, and senior households are concentrated around Columbia, Forest Acres and the unincorporated suburban parts of the county. Many of those calls come from adult children who want a parent to stay in the home they already own.
If that includes someone in your family, it is worth checking VA benefits early, though read the program notes below carefully because not every VA grant covers a stair lift.
Most home-repair and accessibility programs serving Richland County do not name stair lifts in their published rules. That does not always mean no, but it means you should ask directly before counting on the money.
Where you live inside the county matters. Operation One Touch and the Minor Home Repairs Program serve unincorporated Richland County, while the SHINE program is limited to homes inside the City of Columbia. The USDA Section 504 program is restricted to USDA-eligible rural areas.
Statewide options worth asking about include the South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program, the SC Housing Trust Fund Home Repair Program and the South Carolina Homestead Exemption for property-tax relief. The Central Midlands AAA at 236 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia, (803) 376-5390, can help sort out which programs fit your situation.
A Medicaid waiver for residents 65 and older, or physically disabled adults 18 to 64, who meet nursing-facility level of care and financial limits, including a $2,000 individual asset limit (2026). Its home modifications benefit lists ramps, bathroom changes and electrical work but does not mention stair lifts; call (888) 549-0820.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected disabilities (or non-service-connected with a rating of 50% or more) and $2,000 lifetime for other disabilities. HISA specifically excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, plus Temporary Residence Adaptation up to $50,961. The source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans or qualifying family members with service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or certain breathing injuries, plus TRA up to $9,100. Stair lifts are not named as a covered item.
Provides information, referral, care coordination, Family Caregiver Support, I-CARE Medicare counseling and the long-term-care ombudsman for Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties. It does not list a stair lift or home-modification benefit; call (803) 376-5390.
A 1% loan up to $40,000 and a grant up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, combined maximum $50,000, limited to USDA-eligible rural areas. The source mentions walk-in tubs and wheelchair ramps but not stair lifts.
A Richland County funded program for low-cost, high-impact home modifications that reduce fall risk for low-income elderly residents. Stair lifts are not named; call (803) 771-9404.
Free stabilization repairs for low-income households, funded by the SC Department of Social Services, including roof and floor repairs, grab bars and ramps. Stair lifts are not listed; call (803) 771-9404.
An interest-free, forgivable loan for income-eligible homeowners in unincorporated Richland County with urgent minor repair needs. Whether stair lifts qualify is not listed.
Up to $23,000 in CDBG funds per eligible primary residence for low- to moderate-income households in unincorporated Richland County, with a five-year lien once work is done. The source does not mention stair lifts or accessibility work.
Repairs ranging from roofs and heating and air up to full rebuilds for low- and moderate-income owner-occupied single-family homes inside Columbia city limits. Stair lifts are not mentioned.
Older adults
236 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia, 29210
Veterans
1400 Pickens Street, Suite 200, Columbia, 29201
No. The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, along with porch lifts and portable ramps. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Richland County Legislative Delegation and Veterans Affairs office at (803) 576-1908 before planning around VA money.
The Community Choices waiver includes home modifications, but its published list names ramps, bathroom changes and electrical work for medical equipment, not stair lifts. Call (888) 549-0820 to ask about a specific case.
Operation One Touch offers up to $23,000 in CDBG funds for low- to moderate-income primary residences, and the Minor Home Repairs Program offers forgivable loans for urgent repairs. Neither lists stair lifts, so confirm what work they will fund.
The City of Columbia SHINE program serves owner-occupied single-family homes inside city limits for low- and moderate-income households. The SCACAP Aging in Place program, (803) 771-9404, also serves low-income elderly residents countywide.
Yes. The Central Midlands AAA runs Family Caregiver Support for unpaid caregivers 60 and older, and for grandparents 55 and older raising minors. Call (803) 376-5390.
The SCACAP Aging in Place program accepts a lease in place of proof of ownership for renters. With any rental, including walk-up apartments, plan on getting the landlord's approval before installation.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
