From the Greek Revival houses near downtown Bennington to the hillside farmhouses outside Dorset, Rupert and Sandgate, Bennington County's homes were built to climb. Much of the county's housing dates to the 19th and early 20th centuries, long before single-level ranch homes were common, so a bedroom upstairs and a bathroom on another floor is simply how many of these houses work.
That makes stairs part of daily life in all 23 towns, whether you live in Manchester Center, North Bennington, Pownal or up in Winhall and Peru. This page walks through what the county's houses and hills mean for a stair lift, which type tends to fit, and which local and federal programs are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket.
Federal, Greek Revival and Colonial Revival homes are common across the county, and there are 53 individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places countywide. Many outlying homes are older multi-story farmhouses that were never designed with stair-free living in mind.
In older houses, the first thing we check is the shape of the staircase. A single straight run can usually take a straight stair lift, which mounts to the treads rather than the wall. A staircase that turns, has a landing partway up or winds at the top needs a curved rail built to that exact stairway.
Because the rail sits on the stairs themselves, a stair lift does not require tearing out walls or changing the original woodwork. If you own a historic property, it is still worth asking about any rules that apply to your building before work begins.
Bennington sits in a valley where US Route 7 meets VT Route 9, between the Green Mountains to the east and the Taconic Mountains to the west, with the Walloomsac River running through downtown. Old Bennington, the original settlement, sits on the hill above today's commercial center, and the rural towns share that same up-and-down terrain.
On a hillside lot, the hardest stairs are often outside: porch steps, a run down to the driveway, or a flight to a lower entrance. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure and can handle those runs. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift may be the better answer for a porch or entry.
Not every home here is a farmhouse. The county also has detached single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments, and each one raises its own questions.
Split-level homes often have several short flights instead of one long one, so it helps to decide which levels really matter day to day. Townhouses tend to have straight, steep stairs that suit a straight lift. In a walk-up apartment, the stairway may be shared or owned by a landlord, so permission comes before measurements.
About 24.2% of Bennington County's 43,106 residents are 65 or older, so many families here are working through the same question about the stairs. Roughly 76.5% of households own their homes, which matters because several repair and modification programs require you to own and live in the house.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA programs below are worth checking, though not all of them pay for stair lifts.
No program in the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, and one VA grant specifically excludes them. That does not mean there is no help, but it does mean you should ask each office directly and get the answer in writing before you count on it.
A good first call is the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging, which offers free information and referral for older Vermonters and family caregivers. Homeowners in rural areas can ask USDA Rural Development about Section 504 repair loans and grants, and Bennington County Habitat for Humanity handles accessibility repairs for local homeowners.
Statewide, families also ask about the Vermont Independence Fund (Assistive Technology Loan) and the VCIL Home Access Program. Veterans can reach the Vermont Veterans Outreach Team at 100 Franklin Lane in Bennington, (802) 338-4149.
A Medicaid program for Vermonters 65+ or adults 18+ with a physical disability who need nursing-facility level care, with a 2026 income limit of $2,982/month (single) and an asset limit of $2,000 ($5,000 if a homeowner). Its home modifications list ramps, grab bars and doorway widening but does not name stair lifts, and benefits may have waiting lists; call (800) 479-6151.
Repair loans and grants for owner-occupants in eligible rural areas, which include much of Bennington County, up to $50,000 combined with grants capped at $10,000 lifetime for applicants 62+ who cannot repay a loan. The program funds repairs, accessibility and health-safety fixes but does not name stair lifts; call (802) 257-7878.
A lifetime VA benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the veteran's condition and rating, for medically necessary home changes such as ramps and roll-in showers. Stair glides are excluded from HISA coverage; call (802) 295-9363 for other covered items.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed as covered or excluded, so ask about your case at (802) 295-9363.
A home repair program for owner-occupants in Bennington County, matched by income, need and willingness to help, with costs kept low through volunteer labor. Well over half its projects are ramps, along with stair replacement and accessibility repairs, though stair lifts are not named; call (802) 367-1000.
Free information, referral and case management for older Vermonters and family caregivers in Bennington and Rutland counties. It does not fund home modifications itself but can point you to options; call the Bennington office at (802) 442-5436 or the Rutland office at (802) 786-5990.
Older adults
143 Maple St., Rutland, 05701
Veterans
100 Franklin Lane, Bennington, 05201
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts as covered or excluded, so a veteran with a qualifying severe service-connected disability should ask the VA directly at (802) 295-9363.
The program's home modification benefits name ramps, grab bars and widening doorways, and stair lifts are not mentioned. These benefits are not guaranteed and may have waiting lists, so call (800) 479-6151 to ask whether a stair lift could be part of an approved plan.
USDA Section 504 grants are open to owner-occupants age 62+ who cannot repay a loan, with grants capped at $10,000 lifetime, and much of Bennington County is an eligible rural area. The program does not name stair lifts, so ask Rural Development at (802) 257-7878 whether your project qualifies.
Yes, in most cases a staircase with a turn, landing or winding steps takes a curved stair lift with a rail made for that stairway. The rail attaches to the treads, so the walls and original trim stay as they are.
The Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging HelpLine serves older Vermonters and family caregivers in Bennington and Rutland counties at no cost. The Bennington office line is (802) 442-5436.
On hillside lots, outdoor stair lifts can run along porch or entry steps and are built for outdoor use. If the person uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the entry is often the better fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
