From Washburn and Bayfield on the Lake Superior shore to Iron River in the forested hills inland, Bayfield County covers 2,042 square miles. Much of that is lakefront, national forest and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, so homes here sit on slopes, bluffs and wooded lots more often than on flat ground.
County planning documents describe a housing stock that skews old and seasonal, with many lakeside cabins and vacation homes built on multiple levels. Those stairs were never planned with aging owners in mind. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Bayfield County families can look for help paying for one.
Planning documents note that a large share of homes here predate modern accessibility standards. Many seasonal and recreational cabins have multi-level layouts with stairs that are hard on aging occupants unless a stair lift or ramp is added.
The common home types in the county are single-family homes, ranch-style homes, split-level homes and low-rise buildings. A ranch-style home often has one straight run of stairs to the basement, which is usually the simplest stair lift job. A split-level home has short flights between levels, so we look at which floors the person actually needs to reach before recommending anything.
A straight stair lift fits a single run with no turns or landings. If the staircase turns, has a landing partway up or wraps around a corner, a curved lift built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Lakeside and hillside lots bring outdoor steps into the picture. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather, which matters with the harsh winters of far-northern Wisconsin. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat lift, and we measure the space before suggesting one.
About 30.2% of Bayfield County residents are 65 or older, so many families are planning for stairs that a parent or spouse can no longer manage. About 72.7% of residents own their homes, which matters because several funding programs require that you own and live in the house.
Veteran grants follow their own rules, and one of them specifically excludes stair lifts, so check the details below before applying.
The clearest path is Wisconsin IRIS, which lists stair lifts by name under its home modifications benefit. The ADRC of the North is the single entry point for IRIS and Family Care in Bayfield County, and you can reach them at (866) 663-3607 or at the Bayfield County ADRC office at 117 E. 5th St. in Washburn, (715) 373-6144.
Other options include WisLoan through IndiGO, USDA home repair loans and grants for rural homeowners, and the NWRPC housing rehabilitation program. Their sources do not name stair lifts specifically, so call and ask how your project would be treated. Veterans should start with the Bayfield County Veterans Service Office at (715) 373-6137.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents 65 and older, or 18 to 64 with a disability, who need nursing-facility level of care; its home modifications benefit lists stair lifts by name. Apply through the ADRC of the North at (866) 663-3607.
Wisconsin's managed long-term care program for adults who meet nursing-home level of care and Medicaid financial rules; the source reviewed does not mention stair lifts. Ask about it through the ADRC of the North at (866) 663-3607.
Free information, options counseling and application help for older adults and adults with disabilities in Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, Price and Sawyer counties and the Bad River, Lac Courte Oreilles and Red Cliff Tribes. It does not fund stair lifts directly but is the entry point for IRIS and Family Care; call (866) 663-3607.
A loan program for Wisconsin residents with a disability who need assistive technology or home modifications; the source does not name stair lifts specifically. IndiGO runs it from its Washburn office at (800) 924-1220.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed home alterations. Stair glides are explicitly excluded, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
Up to $126,526 for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or remodel a home for accessibility; the source does not name stair lifts as a covered item.
Up to $25,350 to adapt a home owned by a veteran or qualifying family member with certain service-connected disabilities; the source does not name stair lifts as a covered item.
County aid for veterans and eligible dependents living in Bayfield County; the source does not mention home modifications or stair lifts. Call the office in Washburn at (715) 373-6137 for details.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, for very-low-income households in rural areas like Bayfield County; stair lifts are not named. Call (715) 345-7600.
Zero percent, deferred-payment home repair loans for income-qualified homeowners in a ten-county region that includes Bayfield County, where the single-person income limit is $53,800; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (715) 635-2197.
Older adults
117 E. 5th St., Washburn, 54891
Veterans
117 E 5th Street, P.O. Box 367, Washburn, 54891
Wisconsin IRIS lists stair lifts by name in its home modifications benefit. To apply, contact the ADRC of the North at (866) 663-3607.
Wisconsin residents 65 and older, or 18 to 64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability, who need nursing-facility level of care. The 2026 income limit is about $2,982 a month for a single person, the asset limit is $2,000, and home equity is exempt up to $752,000. There is no waitlist.
No. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides from HISA. Veterans can ask the Bayfield County Veterans Service Office at (715) 373-6137 about other options.
USDA home repair grants of up to $7,500 are available to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, for removing health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named, so ask the USDA office at (715) 345-7600.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for that. With the harsh winters in far-northern Wisconsin, we check the steps and exposure before recommending a model.
The Bayfield County ADRC is at 117 E. 5th St., Washburn, WI 54891. The phone number is (715) 373-6144.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
