Floyd County sits on a high plateau of the Blue Ridge Mountains, at about 2,500 feet, with Buffalo Mountain topping out at 3,971 feet. Across its 383 square miles of ridges, valleys and streams, many homes sit on sloped lots with raised foundations or entries split across more than one level.
In the Town of Floyd, the county seat, the Floyd Historic District holds 164 contributing buildings built largely between 1832 and 1955. Out in the countryside, older farmhouses often still have their narrow, original staircases. Those details shape which stair lift will work, and this page walks through them along with the local programs worth calling.
Narrow, original staircases are common in older Floyd County farmhouses. A straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it can usually go in without changing the staircase itself. On a tight stairway we check the width carefully so the folded seat still leaves room for others to walk past.
Homes in the Floyd Historic District can have turns, landings or uneven steps. When a staircase turns, a curved lift with a custom-bent rail follows the shape of the stairs. We measure every step before recommending one.
Split-level homes usually have several short flights instead of one long one. A short straight lift can handle a single flight, but a family that needs to reach every level may want to talk through which flights matter most day to day.
Ranch-style homes often keep everything on one floor, yet the basement stairs or a raised entry can still be a problem. In those homes the stairs outside are often the bigger issue than the ones inside.
The hilly terrain here means plenty of properties have porch steps, raised foundations or entries that sit well above the yard. Those steps can make it hard to get in and out of the house even when the inside of the home is easy to manage.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on exterior steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit for an entry. We look at the whole path from the driveway to the door, not only the indoor staircase.
Floyd County has a homeownership rate of about 83.9%, well above the national average, and a median age of about 48.1 years. Many long-time owners want to stay in houses they know, and a stair lift is often the most direct way to keep using a second floor or basement.
Because the lift attaches to the stairs, it can be removed later. That matters to families thinking about the house over the long run.
None of the programs below name stair lifts on the sources we reviewed, so coverage is never a sure thing. Some fund home modifications in general, some offer loans, and some are referral points that can connect you to other help. The listings below say what each one does and who to call.
For veterans, it helps to know that the VA HISA grant page explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Statewide, you can also ask about the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA). A good first call for an older adult is the New River Valley Agency on Aging at (540) 980-7720.
A Medicaid waiver for people who need a nursing-facility level of care, with Environmental Modifications and Assistive Technology each capped at $5,000 per individual per calendar year; stair lifts are not named in the listed examples. Floyd County residents apply through the local Community Based Screening Team or Department of Social Services, and the Cover Virginia Call Center is at (833) 522-5582.
Serves adults age 60+ in Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski counties and the City of Radford with care coordination, information and referral, and other services; no stair lift or home-modification service is listed. Call (540) 980-7720 to ask about other funding sources.
Provides accessibility modifications for residents of Floyd, Pulaski, Montgomery or Giles counties or the City of Radford with a documented disability-related need, depending on available funds; stair lifts are not itemized. Call (540) 266-1435 to check current funding.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners a loan up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and homeowners age 62+ a grant up to $10,000 lifetime for health and safety hazards and accessibility changes; stair lifts are not specifically named. New River Community Action's main line is (540) 633-5133, though its site does not list USDA 504 help among its programs.
SERCAP's Housing Team handles CDBG housing rehabilitation for low- to moderate-income homeowners in substandard housing; the source does not itemize stair lifts or state amounts. Call (540) 345-1184, or Floyd County government, to ask whether a Floyd round is open.
Pays up to $6,800 lifetime for a service-connected disability or $2,000 for other disabilities, with a VA physician's prescription, but the VA page explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Contact the Salem VA Medical Center/Roanoke Office at (540) 982-2463.
For veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, SAH pays up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026), with ramps and widened doorways as stated examples; stair lifts are not named. Apply through the Roanoke VA Regional Office using VA Form 26-4555.
Provides case management, referral and protective services for older adults and adults with disabilities in Floyd County; no home-modification fund is listed. Call (540) 745-9316 for referrals, including CCC Plus waiver screening.
Older adults
6580 Valley Center Dr., Suite 124, Radford, 24141
Veterans
1970 Roanoke Blvd., Building 8, Room 113, Salem, 24153
Often it can, because a straight lift mounts to the treads and folds up when not in use. We measure the stair width first so the folded lift still leaves a usable walkway.
Yes. Many Floyd County homes sit on sloped lots or raised foundations, and an outdoor stair lift is built for exterior steps. A platform lift is another option where a wheelchair is involved.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the Roanoke VA Regional Office or the Salem VA Medical Center/Roanoke Office at (540) 982-2463 about your situation.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan and need to remove health and safety hazards. The grant must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years.
The New River Valley Agency on Aging at (540) 980-7720 serves adults 60+ in Floyd County and can point you to other funding. The Floyd County Department of Social Services at (540) 745-9316 is another local starting point.
The CCC Plus waiver covers Environmental Modifications up to $5,000 per year for people who qualify for a nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not named in the listed examples, so confirm through Cover Virginia at (833) 522-5582.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
