Much of Kennewick, Richland and West Richland grew out of mid-20th-century Hanford-era building, spreading across the Horse Heaven Hills bench and down onto the Yakima and Columbia River valley floor. That growth left a lot of split-level and two-story houses next to the single-story ranch homes, and the split-levels are where stairs usually become a problem first.
Out past the cities, Benton City, Prosser and Finley have their own challenges. Rural and hillside lots slope, entries sit on more than one level, and the outside steps can be as hard to manage as the ones indoors. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Benton County families can look for help paying.
A split-level home puts short runs of stairs between every floor. Each run is often straight, which keeps a lift simple, but a house may have two or three of them, so it helps to decide which levels the person really needs to reach.
Two-story houses usually have one main staircase. If it runs straight from bottom to top, a straight rail is the most common fit. Stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to the shape of that staircase.
Ranch-style homes are mostly on one floor, but many still have steps down to a basement or up to the front door. Townhouses and walk-up apartments can also work, though renters and people in shared buildings should check with the owner or association before any rail goes in.
Benton County is not flat. The land climbs from the Columbia River, which forms the county's north, south and east boundaries, up to the Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills, with Rattlesnake Mountain reaching 3,527 feet.
On sloped lots around Benton City, Prosser and west Richland, the hardest stairs are often outside: the steps from the driveway, a back deck, or a side entry. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather. If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is the option to talk through instead.
Before measuring, we look at which door the person uses every day. Sometimes one well-placed lift at that entry does more than two lifts elsewhere in the house.
About 15.6% of Benton County's 178,933 residents are 65 or older, and 66.3% of households own their homes. Owning the house makes a permanent rail easier to approve and install.
That matters because several of the payment options below are veteran benefits, so it is worth asking if a parent served before you price anything out.
No program on this page names stair lifts as a covered item, so expect to make a few calls and ask directly. Start with ALTC Southeast Washington at (509) 735-0315, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick 99336. They can point you toward Medicaid options like COPES.
For veterans, Benton County Veterans Resources is at 7102 W Okanogan Place, Suite 201, Kennewick 99336, phone (509) 737-3987. The VA's national benefits line is (800) 827-1000.
Other statewide programs to ask about include Community First Choice (CFC) and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption. The tax exemption does not pay for a lift directly, but lowering a property tax bill can free up money for one.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350, and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026). The source mentions ramps and widened doorways but does not name stair lifts, so call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
A grant for medically necessary home changes, with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status, and it requires a VA physician's prescription. The source lists stair glides among removable equipment HISA does not cover; the Richland VA Clinic serves the Tri-Cities.
A state Medicaid waiver for Apple Health enrollees who qualify for nursing-facility care but stay home; it allows environmental modifications set through a plan of care, though stair lifts are not named. Call Community Living Connections at (855) 567-0252 to start an assessment.
A county fund for veterans in need, run through the Benton County Veteran Service Officer; the source gives no detail on what it covers or how much. Call (509) 786-5710 to ask if home accessibility costs such as a stair lift qualify.
Older adults
3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick, 99336
Veterans
7102 W Okanogan Place, Suite 201, Kennewick, 99336
Possibly. Split-levels have several short runs of stairs, so count which levels the person needs each day. Often one straight lift to the bedroom level covers most of daily life.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, and a platform lift is an option for someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot move onto a seat.
None of the VA grants listed here name stair lifts, and the HISA source specifically lists stair glides as not covered. Ask about SAH or SHA at (800) 827-1000 and talk with Benton County Veterans Resources at (509) 737-3987.
The COPES waiver can pay for environmental modifications for Apple Health enrollees who meet nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not named, so call Community Living Connections at (855) 567-0252 and ask during the assessment.
ALTC Southeast Washington in Kennewick at (509) 735-0315 is a practical first call. They can explain local aging services and help you figure out which programs fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
