Brazos County takes in College Station, Bryan, Lake Bryan, Kurten and Wixon Valley, spread across prairie and floodplain with the Brazos River running through the region. Most people here live in town, since 88.1% of residents are counted as urban in the 2020 Census.
The homes are a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, row houses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Texas A&M University shapes much of that housing, with student rentals sitting alongside family and senior homes. That mix matters when you are deciding whether a stair lift will work and who can approve it.
A single straight flight is the simplest job. Many two-story single-family homes, townhouses and row houses have one, and a straight rail is usually the quickest to fit.
Stairs that turn at a landing or curve need a curved rail built to that staircase. Curved rails take longer to produce, so it helps to have the stairs measured early.
Townhouses and row houses often put the bedrooms and the only full bath upstairs. In those homes a lift can be what lets someone keep using the whole house instead of moving down to one room.
Not every barrier is inside. If your home has steps up to the front door or the back porch, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is one option.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift carries the chair itself rather than the rider alone. We look at the entry, the ground beside it and where the lift would sit before suggesting either one.
Brazos County is a university county. The 2020 Census shows 43.8% of occupied homes countywide were owner-occupied and 56.2% were rented, a much higher rental share than most places where people age in place.
If you or your parent rents, including in a walk-up apartment or low-rise building, the property owner has to approve any rail fastened to the stairs. Shared stairwells in apartment buildings are usually controlled by the landlord, so start that conversation before scheduling anything.
Homeowners have more room to decide, and several of the local programs below are open only to people who own the home.
Because of the student population, only 8.9% of Brazos County residents are 65 or older. That does not make the need smaller for families who have a parent struggling with the stairs, and the Brazos Valley AAA at 3991 E. 29th St., Bryan 77802, (979) 595-2800, is the local office for older adults.
The Brazos County Veteran Service Office at 200 E. 27th St., Bryan 77803, (979) 361-4159, can help with VA housing grant paperwork.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts in its published description. Several do cover home modifications or repairs in general, so it is worth calling and asking directly whether a stair lift can be approved.
Start with the program that fits your situation: STAR+PLUS for Medicaid-eligible adults, the VA grants for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and the City of Bryan or City of College Station programs for income-qualified homeowners inside those cities.
Other statewide programs to ask about include the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Texas Medicaid waiver run by HHSC that covers approved home modifications such as grab bars and wheelchair ramps; stair lifts are not listed in the source, and there is a statewide enrollment cap with a waiting list. Call (877) 438-5658.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans or service members with certain severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a home they own or intend to own. Stair lifts are not listed in the source, which names ramps and widened doorways.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, and the home can be owned by the veteran or a family member. Stair lifts are not listed in the source.
Up to $5,000 in most cases for low-income homeowners inside Bryan city limits; the program was listed as closed, with applications possibly reopening as early as October 2026. Stair lifts and accessibility work are not listed, so call (979) 209-5175 to confirm status.
A 0%-interest loan of up to $40,000 for owner-occupied homes in Bryan, with a slightly higher cap for elderly or disabled households. Stair lifts are not listed in the description; call (979) 209-5175.
Housing rehabilitation help for income-qualified College Station residents, using 60% and 80% AMI income limits. No stair lift or home-modification item is listed, so call the Community Development Division at (979) 764-3570.
Services for seniors in the Brazos Valley region, including small home repairs, homemaker services and respite care; stair lifts are not listed. Call (979) 595-2800 and ask what small home repairs currently includes.
A statewide nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps and lists Bryan-College Station among its service areas. Stair lifts are not mentioned; requests go through an online form, and the phone is (214) 558-0339.
A Bryan-based center for people with disabilities offering transportation, independent-living-skills classes and transition services; no stair lift or home-modification program is listed. Call (979) 776-5505 to ask about equipment or home-mod referrals.
Older adults
3991 E. 29th St., Bryan, 77802
Veterans
200 E. 27th St., Bryan, 77803
The STAR+PLUS HCBS Program covers approved home modifications such as grab bars and wheelchair ramps, but its source does not name stair lifts. Applicants must be 65 or older, or 21 or older with a qualifying disability, need a nursing-facility level of care, and meet an income limit of about $2,982 a month and a $2,000 asset limit for a single applicant. Call (877) 438-5658 to ask.
Yes, STAR+PLUS accepts adults 21 and older with a qualifying disability. The Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living at (979) 776-5505 also works with people with disabilities and can point you to other resources.
It was listed as closed, with applications possibly reopening as early as October 2026. Call the City of Bryan Community Development Department at (979) 209-5175 for the current status.
The VA Specially Adapted Housing grant goes up to $126,526 and the Special Home Adaptation grant up to $25,350 for FY2026, for certain severe service-connected disabilities. Neither source names stair lifts, so ask the Brazos County Veteran Service Office at (979) 361-4159 how to apply.
Yes, with the property owner's approval, since the rail attaches to the stairs. Keep in mind the Bryan programs and the SAH grant are tied to owning the home, while the SHA grant allows a home owned by the veteran or a family member.
The Brazos Valley AAA serves Brazos County and surrounding counties, and STAR+PLUS and the VA grants are available statewide. The City of Bryan and City of College Station programs only cover homes inside those city limits.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
