From the courthouse square in Cameron to the streets of Rockdale, Thorndale, Milano, Buckholts and Gause, Milam County is a place of older houses. The county's population peaked around 1900 at 39,666 residents and has stayed well below that since, so much of what people live in today was built a long time ago.
Older homes often mean steep porch steps, narrow staircases and split-level layouts that were never planned with a walker or a bad knee in mind. This page walks through what a stair lift looks like in a Milam County house, what the distances of a mostly rural county mean for installation, and where local families can start asking about help with the cost.
Most homes here are single-family homes and detached houses, with plenty of ranch-style homes and split-level homes mixed in, plus some low-rise buildings. Each of these calls for a different kind of lift.
A ranch-style home may have every room on one floor, but the trouble is often the steps up to the front or back door. In that case an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry can matter more than anything inside the house.
Split-level homes usually have shorter flights between levels. A straight stair lift can work on each straight run, while a staircase with a turn or landing generally needs a curved lift built to fit that stair.
Cameron, the county seat, was established in 1846 and incorporated in 1889. Its historic downtown square has been going through a renovation push of its older buildings since October 2021, which says a lot about the age of the building stock across the county's small towns.
In an older house we look closely at the stair itself before recommending anything. Width, the condition of the treads and whether there is a wall or a railing on the side where the rail would mount all shape which lift fits. Measuring in person is the only way to know for sure.
Milam County covers 1,022 square miles between Falls County to the north and Lee County to the south. As of the 2020 Census, 57.1% of residents lived in rural areas, so many older homeowners are a good drive from contractors, home-health providers and accessibility installers.
That distance is a reason to plan before a fall or a hospital stay forces the issue. A single visit can cover measuring, talking through straight versus curved, and checking any outside steps at the same time.
About 16.5% of county residents are 65 or older, and many families here are helping a parent stay in a home they have owned for years. According to the 2020 Census, 72.8% of the county's 11,541 housing units are owner-occupied, which matters because owners can make permanent changes like a mounted rail.
None of the local or state programs below specifically list stair lifts as a covered item, so treat them as places to ask, not promises. The Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas and the Central Texas Aging, Disability & Veterans Resource Center can both screen and refer residents age 60 and older in Milam County.
They can help with questions about VA housing grants.
Statewide programs worth asking about by name include 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. Eligibility and covered items need to be confirmed with each program directly.
Offers information and referral, care coordination and short-term in-home care for adults 60 and older and family caregivers in Milam and six other counties; its materials do not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (254) 770-2330.
A toll-free screening and referral hub for older adults, people with disabilities and veterans in Milam and nearby counties; it does not name a stair lift or home-modification program. Call (855) 937-2372.
Medicaid long-term care for people 65 and older or disabled who meet income and resource limits and need 30 or more days of continuous care, including community services while living at home; stair lifts are not listed, so confirm covered items with your Medicaid managed care organization or HHSC. For guidance, call (254) 770-2330.
Grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 (SAH), $25,350 (SHA), $50,961 (TRA, SAH-eligible) and $9,100 (TRA, SHA-eligible); stair lifts are not specifically named. The Milam County Veterans Services office in Cameron can help at (512) 760-7170.
Older adults
2180 N. Main St., Belton, 76513
Veterans
806 N Crockett Ave Suite 101C, Cameron, 76520
Yes. When the steps are outside, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry is usually the right fit instead of an indoor lift. We would look at the steps in person to see which one works.
Often it can. A straight lift fits a straight run between levels, and a staircase with a turn or landing generally needs a curved lift built for that stair.
Mostly it means planning ahead. With 57.1% of county residents living in rural areas, installers and home-health providers can be farther away, so it helps to schedule an assessment before a lift is urgently needed.
The Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas serves adults 60 and older in Milam County at (254) 770-2330, and the Central Texas AAA office in Belton can be reached at (254) 933-7075. Neither lists stair lifts as a covered service, but they can point you to programs that may help.
Start with the county Veterans Services office at 806 N Crockett Ave Suite 101C, Cameron, (512) 760-7170. The VA housing grants have FY2026 caps up to $126,526 for SAH, though stair lifts are not specifically named, so ask what qualifies.
Texas Medicaid long-term care can fund some community services for people living at home, but stair lifts are not itemized. Check directly with your Medicaid managed care organization, such as STAR+PLUS, or with HHSC.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
