Young County covers 931 square miles of north-central Texas, with Graham as the county seat and smaller towns like Olney, Newcastle and Loving spread across ranch and oil country. Many of the older houses around Graham's town square went up during the railroad and oil-boom years, and plenty of them sit on raised foundations with steps at the front door.
Those steps matter when someone wants to stay in the house they have owned for decades. This page walks through how local homes line up with straight, curved, outdoor and platform lifts, and which programs may help with the cost for families in Young County.
Most housing here is single-family homes and detached houses, including ranch-style and split-level homes. A ranch-style home often has no inside staircase at all, so the trouble spot is usually the front-entry steps on a raised foundation.
For those entry steps, an outdoor lift built to handle weather is the usual answer. When the climb is short and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift can make more sense than a seat lift.
Split-level homes bring short flights between levels. A single straight run takes a straight lift, while a flight that turns or has a landing in the middle needs a curved rail fitted to that staircase.
According to the 2020 Census, Young County has 8,539 housing units, and 71.8% are owner-occupied. Owning the home makes it simpler to bolt a rail to the stairs or add an outdoor lift without a landlord's sign-off.
That is a large share, so it is worth checking veteran benefits early, even though the VA programs listed below have limits on stair lift coverage.
Graham sits where US Highway 380 meets State Routes 16 and 67, but 52.0% of county residents live in rural areas outside incorporated towns. Specialized medical, rehab and home-modification services tend to be concentrated in Wichita Falls or Abilene.
Because of that, plan ahead. Gather stair measurements, photos of the entry steps and any doctor's notes before a visit so the assessment and the program paperwork can move along together.
The median home value in the county is $175,800, and the poverty rate is 16.5%, above the 12.5% national average. For many senior homeowners, an out-of-pocket purchase is hard, so grants, waivers and loans are worth a look.
Two programs below name stair lifts directly: the STAR+PLUS waiver and the Independent Living Services Program through Disability in Action. Others cover home modifications in general without naming stair lifts, and one VA grant excludes stair glides outright. The Area Agency on Aging of North Texas is a good first call to sort out which ones fit.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older or adults with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid financial limits and a nursing-facility level of care; it can cover minor home modifications, including stair lifts, when medically necessary. There is an interest list that can carry a wait; call (877) 438-5658.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people of any age with a related condition that began before age 22, with a $10,000 lifetime cap on minor home modifications. Its manual lists ramps, door widening, roll-in showers and grab bars, but stair lifts are not listed, so coverage depends on the approved service plan.
Serves adults 60 and older and family caregivers in 11 counties, including Young, with information and referral, benefits counseling, care coordination and caregiver support. It does not list a stair lift or home-modification program, but it is the local starting point; call (940) 322-5281.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, in rural areas such as Young County. Ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs are listed as accessibility work; stair lifts are not mentioned by name.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes prescribed by a VA provider. It does not cover stair lifts: stair glides and porch lifts are explicitly excluded.
Grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 limits of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. Examples given are ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not listed, so ask the Young County Veterans Service Officer at (940) 532-7029.
A state grant of up to $22,500 for households that include a person with a disability and earn at or below 80% of Area Median Family Income; homeowners and tenants may qualify. Stair lifts are not listed among its examples, and it is not available in all areas of Texas, so confirm Young County availability at (800) 525-0657.
For people with a significant disability, with no age limit stated; home modifications, including stair lifts, are a sliding-scale Purchased Service where most applicants pay less than 10% of the cost. Young County is in Disability in Action's service area; call (325) 672-2903.
Older adults
4309 Jacksboro Highway, Wichita Falls, 76302
Veterans
417 Second St, Suite 104, Graham, 76450
Yes. Many older Graham homes sit on raised foundations with front-entry steps, and an outdoor lift or, for wheelchair users, a platform lift is the usual fit for those steps.
The STAR+PLUS waiver can cover stair lifts as a minor home modification when medically necessary, for eligible people 65 and older or adults with a qualifying disability. There is an interest list. Call (877) 438-5658.
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. Talk with the Young County Veterans Service Officer in Graham at (940) 532-7029 about your situation.
The Independent Living Services Program through Disability in Action has no stated age limit and lists stair lifts as a Purchased Service for people with a significant disability. The CLASS waiver also serves people of any age with a qualifying related condition.
The North Texas AAA in Wichita Falls, at (940) 322-5281, works with adults 60 and older and their caregivers and can point you toward benefits counseling and other programs.
Young County qualifies as rural for the USDA Section 504 program. Very-low-income homeowners can borrow up to $40,000 at 1%, and those 62 and older may get a grant of up to $10,000, though stair lifts are not named on the program's list.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
