From Wichita Falls out to Burkburnett, Iowa Park, Electra, Pleasant Valley and Cashion Community, most homes in Wichita County sit on one floor. The county lies in the Rolling Plains on the Oklahoma border, and that flat-to-gently-rolling ground favored single-story ranch-style houses over tall multi-story ones.
That does not mean stairs are rare here. Split-level floor plans, raised front entries and steps down to a basement or garage are where most of our local stair lift work happens. This page walks through what those homes need and which programs may help pay for it.
Wichita Falls grew fast after the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad arrived in September 1882, and again during the oil boom that took off after 1910. A lot of the housing in the county seat still dates to the early-to-mid-20th century.
Older houses can have narrow stairways, steep steps or a landing that turns partway up. Before recommending anything, we measure the stair width, the run and any turns, and check where a rail can be mounted securely.
Across the county there are 55,519 housing units, and about 59.6% of residents own their home. Owners generally have the most freedom to install a permanent rail, while people in townhouses or low-rise buildings may need to check with an association or landlord first.
In a split-level home, the trouble is often a short flight of six or eight steps between living areas, used many times a day. A straight stair lift usually fits these short, direct runs well and folds out of the way when not in use.
If the stairs turn or have a landing in the middle, a curved stair lift with a custom-bent rail is the usual answer. It takes longer to build because the rail is made to match that one staircase.
For raised entries and steps from the garage, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift may be the better fit. A platform lift is worth considering for anyone who uses a wheelchair or walker and needs to stay on it.
About 14.8% of Wichita County residents are 65 or older. For many families, a stair lift is a way to keep using the whole house instead of closing off a lower level or moving.
Veterans have some separate funding routes, covered below, and the local Veterans Office in Wichita Falls can help sort out which ones apply.
None of the programs listed on this page name stair lifts specifically in their source material, so treat each one as a lead to call, not a promise. Several Texas Medicaid waivers fund minor home modifications with lifetime limits, and the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program offers grants for households that include a person with a disability.
A good first call for older adults is the North Texas AAA at (940) 322-5281, located at 4309 Jacksboro Highway in Wichita Falls. Veterans can reach the Veterans Office at (940) 716-8599, 600 Scott Ave, Suite 203, Wichita Falls.
Rural homeowners outside Wichita Falls may also want to check the USDA Section 504 program, since the city itself is unlikely to qualify as a rural area while unincorporated parts of the county may.
Information, referral and in-home services for adults 60 and older and family caregivers in Wichita County; its directory listing does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (940) 322-5281 to ask about current home-modification, respite or in-home services and any waitlist.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or 21 and older with a qualifying disability, who meet nursing-facility level of care; it allows a $7,500 lifetime limit for minor home modifications plus up to $300 a year for maintenance after the cap. Stair lifts are not named, so confirm with the enrollee's STAR+PLUS managed care organization or Texas HHSC.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people with a related condition that began before age 22 who meet ICF/IID level of care, with a $10,000 lifetime limit for minor home modifications plus up to $300 a year for maintenance after the cap. Its source does not name stair lifts.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people with an intellectual disability or related condition living in their family home, with a $7,500 lifetime limit for minor home modifications plus up to $300 a year after the cap. Stair lifts are not named in its source.
A TDHCA state grant of up to $20,000 for Texas households that include a person with a disability and earn at or below 80% of area median income. The program description does not name stair lifts, so confirm the current cap and Wichita County service with TDHCA (tdhca.texas.gov).
Federal repair grants and loans for owner-occupants in USDA-eligible rural areas, with a current source listing grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older, loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest, and up to $27,500 combined; these figures change, so confirm with USDA Rural Development. Stair lifts are not named in the working source, and Wichita Falls itself is unlikely to qualify while unincorporated areas may.
A VA health-benefit grant of $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime, depending on disability status, for medically necessary changes for veterans enrolled in VA health care. The VA's HISA page lists stair glides and porch lifts among items it does not cover, so this grant is better suited to other modifications.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times toward buying, building or modifying a permanent home. The source does not say whether stair lifts qualify, so confirm with VA.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of both hands or severe burns. Whether stair lifts qualify is not specified; confirm with VA.
A local nonprofit at 1206 Lamar Street in Wichita Falls that builds homes and runs a ReStore; its site does not describe any stair lift or aging-in-place repair service. Call (940) 716-9300 to ask about current repair or modification offerings.
Older adults
4309 Jacksboro Highway, Wichita Falls, 76302
Veterans
600 Scott Ave, Suite 203, Wichita Falls, 76301
Many local homes still have a split-level layout, a raised front entry, or steps down to a basement or garage. Those short flights are where most stair lift needs in the county come from.
The North Texas AAA serves adults 60 and older, but some programs reach younger people. STAR+PLUS covers Medicaid recipients 21 and older with a qualifying disability, and the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program is based on disability and income rather than age.
According to the VA's HISA page, stair glides and porch lifts are excluded. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can ask the VA about the SAH or SHA grants, and the Veterans Office in Wichita Falls is at (940) 716-8599.
Possibly. The Section 504 program generally serves rural areas under 35,000 people, so Wichita Falls itself is unlikely to qualify, but unincorporated parts of the county may. USDA Rural Development can check whether your address is eligible.
For an older adult, start with the North Texas AAA at (940) 322-5281. For a veteran, call the Veterans Office at (940) 716-8599.
A straight lift will not follow a turn, so a curved stair lift with a rail built for your staircase is usually needed. If the steps are outside or someone needs to stay in a wheelchair, an outdoor lift or a 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.
