Brownwood sits at 1,339 feet on the west side of Pecan Bayou, and the rolling ground around it shapes how a lot of local houses were built. Some older in-town lots have grade changes and interior stairs that you rarely see in the flatter, newer rural subdivisions out toward Bangs, Blanket or Zephyr.
That difference matters when a parent starts struggling with steps. A split-level near downtown Brownwood, a ranch-style home in Early and a lake house at Lake Brownwood or Thunderbird Bay can each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits where and which programs serving Brown County may help with the cost.
The 2020 Census counted 18,897 housing units across the county, and 13.4% of households had someone age 65 or older living alone. For those households, a staircase is often the one thing standing between staying home and moving out.
A single straight flight, common in two-story single-family homes and many townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift. These run on a rail mounted to the stair treads, not the wall, and are the simplest to install.
Split-level homes are a different job. Short runs with a landing or a turn between levels often need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, or a separate straight lift on each short flight.
Brownwood was moved to its current site in the 1870s and grew again during World War II with the Camp Bowie Army training facility. A good share of the in-town housing went up long before single-story, accessible construction was the norm.
On sloped lots near Pecan Bayou, the hardest steps are sometimes outside: a run up from the driveway or down to a back door. An outdoor stair lift built for weather, or a vertical platform lift for someone who uses a wheelchair, can handle those grade changes.
Ranch-style and detached houses in the flatter parts of the county may have only two or three entry steps. In that case a platform lift or a ramp can make more sense than a full stair lift, and we will tell you so during the home visit.
The key point: the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, treating them as removable equipment.
A veteran who needs a stair lift would instead ask a VA Prosthetics (PSAS) clinician about a prescription for the lift itself. The Brown County Veteran Services Office at 1600 Burnett Drive in Brownwood can help sort out which benefit applies. Call (325) 646-0335.
Many older residents here own their homes, but the county's poverty rate of 15.3% sits above the national average of 12.5%, and median household income is $57,470. For plenty of families, paying full price for a lift is a real hurdle.
None of the programs below names stair lifts outright as a covered item, so the honest answer is to call and ask. Start with the West Central Texas AAA, which serves Brown County and lists the Brownwood Senior Citizens Center at 110 S Greenleaf St. as a program site. The regional office in Abilene is at (325) 672-8544.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. If someone is already on Medicaid, the STAR+PLUS plan case manager is the person to ask.
Funds repairs or modifications essential to the health and safety of adults 60 and older in the 19-county region that includes Brown County, case by case and depending on funding and screening. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so a case manager decides; call (325) 793-8417.
A Medicaid waiver for Texans 65 and older or adults with a qualifying disability who meet financial and nursing-facility level of care rules, with a lifetime home modification cap of approximately $7,500 per the guide reviewed. Ramps, grab bars and walk-in showers are named, but stair lifts are not listed, so confirm with the member's STAR+PLUS plan case manager.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes like permanent ramps and bathroom access. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so a veteran would need a VA Prosthetics (PSAS) prescription for the lift instead.
Up to $126,526 lifetime (FY2026), usable across up to 6 projects, for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. The VA source names ramps and doorway widening but does not list stair lifts.
Up to $25,350 lifetime (FY2026) to adapt a home for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of both hands, severe burns or certain respiratory injuries, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation variant up to $9,100. Stair lifts are not listed by name in the program description.
An Abilene-based nonprofit Center for Independent Living that serves Brown County residents of any age with a disability through individualized purchased services. Its directory listing does not name stair lifts or home modifications, so call (325) 672-2903 to ask what is available.
Older adults
1025 EN 10th St., Abilene, 79601
Veterans
1600 Burnett Drive, Brownwood, 76801
The Residential Repair Program is for adults 60 and older, but Disability in Action serves Brown County residents of any age with a disability. Call them at (325) 672-2903. STAR+PLUS also covers adults with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid rules.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. A VA Prosthetics (PSAS) clinician can prescribe the lift itself. The Brown County Veteran Services Office at (325) 646-0335 can help you start.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often need a curved rail made to fit the turns, or a straight lift on each short flight. We measure the stairs at the home visit before recommending either one.
The West Central Texas AAA office is at 1025 EN 10th St. in Abilene, phone (325) 672-8544. It also lists the Brownwood Senior Citizens Center at 110 S Greenleaf St. as a program site.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and work on exterior runs like those at Lake Brownwood or Thunderbird Bay. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift may fit better.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
