From Nelson and Alma down the river to Buffalo City and Fountain City, and inland to Cochrane and Mondovi, Buffalo County is built on hills. The county sits along the Mississippi River in the Driftless Area, a region the glaciers skipped, so ridges and slopes shape almost every lot.
That terrain shows up inside the house. Farmhouses on sloped ground often have raised entries, full or walkout basements and several levels, which means stairs both indoors and out. This page walks through which stair lift fits which kind of home here, and which programs may help cover the cost.
A hillside lot rarely gives you one simple staircase. Many homes here have a short run of steps up to a raised front door, a full flight down to a walkout basement, and sometimes a landing or turn in between.
A straight stair lift works on a single run with no turns, which is common in ranch-style homes with a basement stair. If the staircase turns at a landing or curves, you need a curved lift built to that exact stair. We measure every run before recommending either one.
Split-level homes are a special case. Each short half-flight may need its own lift, or the layout may favor moving daily living to one level and putting a lift only on the stair that matters most.
Older farmhouses can have steep or narrow stairs. Those details affect which rail and seat will fit, so they are worth checking early. In walk-up apartments, the building owner usually has to approve any installation in a shared stairwell.
Because sloped lots so often produce raised entries, the outside steps can be the real barrier. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can run up porch or entry steps.
Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be a better fit than a seat, since it carries the person and chair together. The right answer depends on the height of the entry and the space at the top and bottom.
About 24.3% of Buffalo County residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 46.5. The 2020 Census counted 6,506 housing units, and 76.4% were owner-occupied, so most older residents are making decisions about homes they own.
Every resident of the county lives in a rural area, with only 19.7 people per square mile. That spread-out, hilly geography can make it harder to line up contractors and service, so ask any installer how they handle follow-up visits and repairs in your town.
Two programs on the list below name stair lifts directly. The IRIS Medicaid waiver lists stair lifts as a home modification, and WisLoan offers financing for people with a disability, with no income requirement.
Other programs may help with home modifications without naming stair lifts, so ask before you count on them. Veterans should know the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The ADRC office in Alma can also explain statewide options such as the Community Options Program (COP) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP).
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for people 65+ or adults 18-64 with a disability who need a nursing-facility level of care; home modifications including stair lifts are listed and are requested through your IRIS consultant. Call (888) 515-4747.
Medicaid managed long-term care that can provide home modifications case by case, though stair lifts are not specifically listed. Buffalo County is in the service area; call (800) 362-3002.
A free information and enrollment help point for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers, including home visits; it does not fund stair lifts itself. Call (866) 578-2372 or visit the Buffalo County office at 407 S 2nd St. in Alma.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes, but it does not cover stair lifts or stair glides. Call (608) 685-6219 for help applying.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (877) 827-3702.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans or qualifying family members with certain service-connected disabilities; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (877) 827-3702.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants for those 62+; accessibility work is allowed but stair lifts are not specifically named. Call the Menomonie Area Office at (715) 232-2614.
Statewide loans from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents 18+ with a disability, with no income requirement; home modifications and stair lift chairs are covered. Call (608) 787-1111.
Free services for people with disabilities in a 13-county region that includes Buffalo County; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (608) 787-1111.
The county office in Alma that helps veterans and dependents apply for VA benefits; it does not fund stair lifts directly. Call (608) 685-6219.
Older adults
407 S. 2nd St., Alma, 54610
Veterans
407 S. 2nd St., 4th Floor, Buffalo County Courthouse, Alma, 54610
The IRIS waiver lists stair lifts as a home modification, if you qualify for nursing-facility level of care and meet the financial limits (about $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets for a single applicant in 2026). Call (888) 515-4747.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the Buffalo County Veterans Service Office at (608) 685-6219 what applies to you.
Yes. IRIS serves adults 18-64 with a disability who meet its rules, and WisLoan lends to Wisconsin residents 18+ with a disability regardless of income.
The Buffalo County ADRC is at 407 S. 2nd St. in Alma, phone (608) 685-4412. The Veterans Service Office is in the same building, on the 4th floor of the Buffalo County Courthouse.
Often, yes, because these are separate stair runs. An indoor straight or curved lift can serve the basement stair, and an outdoor lift or platform lift can handle the entry steps.
The whole county is rural, so homes here can be eligible for Section 504 loans and grants if income limits are met. Stair lifts are not specifically named, so confirm with the Menomonie Area Office at (715) 232-2614.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
