Coleman has been the county seat since 1876, and Trickham goes back to 1855. Walk the town centers of Coleman and Santa Anna and you see early-20th-century buildings like the brick-and-stucco Santa Fe passenger depot, finished in 1915. Many of the houses around them are just as old, with entry steps and raised foundations.
Those steps are where aging in place gets hard. A stair lift can carry someone up a staircase inside the house, and a different kind of lift can handle the climb from the yard to the front door. This page walks through what fits Coleman County homes and which local and VA programs are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket.
Most housing here is single-family homes and detached houses, with some townhouses and walk-up apartments. Much of it is aging stock in a rural county that has been losing population, so many homes were built long before anyone planned for a walker or wheelchair.
A house with an indoor staircase that runs in one straight line is usually the simplest job: a straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall. Stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
Raised foundations bring a second problem. Even a one-story house can have several steps at the front or back door, and for that we look at outdoor lifts or a vertical platform lift instead of an indoor unit.
The county sits where the Edwards Plateau meets the Rolling Plains, with elevations from 1,500 to 2,250 feet and high points like Jim Ned Peak and the Santa Anna Mountains. Lots on that kind of ground often have uneven grades between the driveway and the door, so we check the slope and the footing before recommending an outdoor lift.
Coleman County is roughly 60 miles southeast of Abilene, and service offices are spread between Abilene, San Angelo and Brownwood. That distance matters. Ask any installer how service calls work out here, and plan your funding calls early since paperwork can take time.
About 24.4% of residents are 65 or older, and the median age of 48.7 years is well above the U.S. median. Around 68.6% of residents own their homes, which matters because owners can usually approve a permanent installation without asking a landlord.
That is a large share, so the VA programs below are worth checking, along with their limits.
Money is a real concern here. The median household income is $49,159 and the poverty rate is 19.6%, above the national average. Before buying outright, it makes sense to ask what help exists.
The best first call for most families is the West Central Texas ADRC at (855) 937-2372, which offers free options counseling and can tell you what home-modification help is currently funded. The Area Agency on Aging runs a Residential Repair service for people 60 and older, though its page does not name stair lifts, so you need to ask.
For veterans, be aware that the VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides. Statewide programs you can ask the ADRC about include the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. Each program is summarized below.
Repairs or modifications essential to the health and safety of residents 60 and older in the 19-county West Central Texas region, which includes Coleman County. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so call (325) 793-8417 to ask whether one would qualify and what the current dollar limits are.
A free counseling and benefits navigation service for older adults and people with disabilities, not a cash grant, and it does not name a stair lift fund. Call (855) 937-2372 to learn what home-modification assistance is currently available.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities, or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, for medically necessary fixed alterations like permanent ramps or roll-in showers. Stair glides are explicitly excluded; VA benefits can be reached at (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 lifetime (FY2026); the applicant or a family member must own the home. Ramps and wider doorways are named, but stair lifts are not listed, so call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
Coleman County receives weatherization services only from CVCAA, covering energy work like insulation, HVAC and air sealing for income-eligible households. It does not pay for stair lifts; call (325) 653-2411 for weatherization details.
Older adults
1025 EN 10th St., Abilene, 79601
Veterans
1600 Burnet Drive, Brownwood, 76801
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts by name, so a veteran with a qualifying severe service-connected disability should call (800) 827-1000 to ask. The Brown County Veterans Service Office in Brownwood, (325) 646-0335, can also help with VA paperwork.
The Area Agency on Aging Residential Repair service is for people 60 and older. The West Central Texas ADRC also serves people with disabilities, so a younger person with a disability can call (855) 937-2372 for options counseling.
The West Central Texas AAA is at 1025 EN 10th St., Abilene, TX 79601, phone (325) 672-8544. Calling first saves the drive.
No. CVCAA offers Coleman County weatherization only, which covers energy efficiency work like insulation and HVAC, not accessibility equipment.
An indoor stair lift will not, but an outdoor lift or a vertical platform lift can handle entry steps on a raised foundation. We look at the slope of the yard and the height of the porch before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
