Some of the oldest homes in Jacksonville and Rusk are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Aber and Haberle Houses and the William Walter Newton House stand in Jacksonville, and the James I. and Myrta Blake Perkins House is in Rusk. They are good examples of the in-town housing across Cherokee County, much of it built long before step-free entries and one-floor living were the norm.
Beyond the two largest cities, the county spreads across Shadybrook, Alto, Wells, New Summerfield and Gallatin, with plenty of rural ground in between. This page explains how those homes shape the kind of stair lift that works, and where people here can look for help paying for one.
Older in-town houses here often have multi-step entries and multi-story floor plans. A bedroom or the only full bathroom upstairs is usually what brings families to call us. If the staircase runs in one straight flight, a straight stair lift is the simplest and quickest fit.
Stairs in older homes do not always run straight. Landings, turns and narrow treads are common in houses built before modern layouts, and those staircases need a curved lift built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure first so the rail follows your steps, not a guess.
The county's housing mix includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. A split-level has short flights between floors, so one person may need a lift on more than one set of stairs. Townhouses often have a long single flight, which suits a straight rail.
Walk-up apartments are a different case because the stairs may be shared. Talk with the property owner before planning any lift on a common stairway. For steps at the front door or porch of a house, an outdoor lift or a vertical platform lift can be the better answer than a ramp when space is tight.
Cherokee County covers 1,062 square miles in East Texas, with about 47.9 people per square mile. Many older residents live well outside town centers, which means longer drives for installers and home-modification contractors. It helps to plan ahead and have stair measurements, doorway widths and outlet locations ready when you call.
The terrain around Rusk, the county seat, sits at 545 ft elevation and is relatively flat. That matters most for outdoor entry steps, since a level approach makes it easier to place a platform lift or an outdoor stair lift by the door.
About 13.7% of residents are 65 or older, and 62.4% of households own their home. Homeowners who plan to stay put are the people who most often install a stair lift, since the lift stays with the house.
If someone in your family served, call the Office of Veterans Affairs Cherokee County at 135 S. Main Street in Rusk, (903) 683-4012, before you decide how to pay.
Cost is a real concern here. Rusk reported a 2020 median household income of $48,235, below Texas state averages, so many families look for grant, loan or nonprofit help before paying out of pocket. The programs listed below are the ones we have checked, and only some of them touch home access at all.
Be clear-eyed about the VA. The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, and the SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly about your situation. For local guidance, the Area Agency on Aging of East Texas is the best first call.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. The aging agency can help you sort out which ones apply.
A lifetime VA grant for medically necessary fixed alterations, such as entrance access, roll-in showers and permanent ramping, with a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, which the VA lists as excluded stair glides; call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) lifetime for FY2026. The VA source does not mention stair lifts by name, so ask about them at (800) 827-1000.
Serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers in Cherokee County with benefits counseling, care coordination, caregiver support and other services; it does not list a stair lift or home-modification fund. Call (800) 442-8845 to ask about current in-home accessibility help and waiver applications.
A nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps free for low-income older adults and people with disabilities who have a medical need; stair lifts are not mentioned. You cannot apply yourself, so a social services agency, healthcare professional or EMS, fire or police referrer must contact them at (214) 558-0339.
Older adults
3800 Stone Rd., Kilgore, 75662
Veterans
135 S. Main Street, Rusk, 75785
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts in the VA's description, so call the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Office of Veterans Affairs Cherokee County at (903) 683-4012 to ask about your case.
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging of East Texas serves people 60 and older in Cherokee County, at (800) 442-8845. The East Texas AAA office is at 3800 Stone Rd. in Kilgore, (903) 984-8641.
It depends on the space in front of the door. A ramp needs room to run out, while an outdoor stair lift or vertical platform lift fits a smaller footprint. The Texas Ramp Project builds free ramps for qualifying people, but only through an authorized referral.
Yes. Curved lifts are built to match the turns and landings of your stairs. Many older in-town homes in Jacksonville and Rusk have staircases like this, so we measure on site before ordering.
Rural homes across the county can be served, though travel times are longer than in town. Having your stair measurements and a nearby outlet location ready helps the visit go faster.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
