Dickens County spreads across about 902 square miles of West Texas plains, with two towns, Spur and Dickens, and a lot of open country in between. Many of the houses here are older single-family homes, ranch-style and split-level, built long before anyone thought about grab bars or lifts.
That matters if you or a parent wants to stay put. The 2020 census counted 1,165 housing units in the county, and most occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. This page covers which kinds of stair lifts fit local homes, what the long drives to Lubbock mean for service, and which programs may help with the cost.
Spur had 547 housing units in 2020, and much of that stock is the kind of older housing found across South Plains ranching and farming towns. These homes were built without accessibility features, so a lift is usually a retrofit added to stairs that were never planned for one.
Detached houses and single-family homes with one straight run of stairs are the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and usually fits without changing the staircase itself.
A ranch-style home may have no indoor staircase at all, but it often has steps up to the porch or entry. For those, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is the usual answer, and the unit needs to handle West Texas weather.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights between levels, sometimes with a turn or landing. Depending on the layout, that can mean a straight lift on each flight or a curved lift that follows the turn, and we measure before recommending either.
About 23.0% of Dickens County residents are 65 or older, and 81.3% are homeowners. Owning the home makes a permanent installation easier, since there is no landlord to ask.
That is a large enough share that it is worth checking VA benefits early, even though, as explained below, the VA's smaller grant does not pay for stair lifts.
Low population density means long trips to larger service centers such as Lubbock for hospitals, specialty contractors and stair lift installers. Plan for that when you set up a measurement or a repair visit.
It helps to have the stairs measured once and done right. Photos of the staircase and entry steps sent ahead of time can cut down on return trips.
No program listed here names stair lifts as a covered item, and one, the VA HISA grant, excludes them outright. Several others fund home modifications or repairs and are worth a phone call, since decisions are often made case by case.
Good first calls are the South Plains Association of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (806) 762-8721 for anyone 60 or older, and LIFE, Inc. at (806) 795-5433 for people with disabilities. Veterans can also reach the Workforce Solutions South Plains veterans specialist in Lubbock at (806) 765-5038. The programs below lay out the details.
A VA lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary permanent home changes such as entrance ramping. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Larger VA grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or intend to own the home, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) in FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed; the VA gives ramps and widened doorways as examples.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for adults who need a nursing-facility level of care, with home modifications approved case by case through the managed-care plan. Stair lifts are not listed (examples given are grab bars and wheelchair ramps); call (877) 438-5658.
Rural repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, with income at or below 50% of area median. Both Spur and Dickens qualify as rural; stair lifts are not listed among the accessibility examples.
A one-time grant up to $22,500 for homeowners or renters with a household member who has a disability and income at or below 80% of AMFI. Listed work includes ramps, handrails and accessible bathrooms, but not stair lifts; call (512) 936-7799 or 2-1-1 for a local administrator.
The regional aging agency for adults 60 and older in the South Plains, including Dickens County, offering care coordination and minor residential repair for homeowners. Stair lifts are not listed; call (806) 762-8721.
No-cost energy-efficiency work such as insulation and HVAC repair for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, with a center at 500 Burlington Ave in Spur. It does not mention accessibility work or stair lifts, but staff at (806) 523-1317 may know of other local help.
A Lubbock-based center for independent living that serves Dickens County with advocacy, referrals and skills training for people with disabilities. It does not describe stair lift funding; call (806) 795-5433 for referrals.
Older adults
1323 58th St., Lubbock, 79412
Veterans
2002 W. Loop 289 Suite 117, Lubbock, 79407
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the VA directly whether your case qualifies.
Yes. The South Plains Association of Governments Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older in Dickens County and offers care coordination and minor residential repair for homeowners. Call (806) 762-8721; the office is at 1323 58th St. in Lubbock.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program is open to both homeowners and renters when a household member has a disability and income is at or below 80% of AMFI. Stair lifts are not on its listed items, so call (512) 936-7799 to ask.
Yes. Both towns qualify as rural for the USDA Section 504 program. Grants require the owner to be 62 or older and unable to repay a loan, and household income must be at or below 50% of area median.
Yes. Entry steps are often handled with an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift built for outdoor use. A measurement of the steps and the landing space tells us which one fits.
Dickens County has low population density, and specialty contractors and installers often travel from larger centers such as Lubbock. Sending photos of your stairs before the visit helps keep trips to a minimum.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
