Burnett County has no incorporated cities. Its people live in three villages, Grantsburg, Siren and Webster, plus 21 towns spread over 880 square miles of lakes, rivers and woods along the Minnesota border. Most homes here are single-family houses, seasonal lake cabins and manufactured homes, not apartment buildings with elevators.
That housing mix shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense. Many older cabins and rural homes have a simple straight staircase down to a basement or up to a loft, and those are often good candidates for a retrofit. This page walks through the common home styles in the county, what each one usually needs, and the programs that can help cover the cost.
A straight staircase to a basement or loft is the most common setup we see in rural homes and older lake cabins. A straight-rail lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it usually goes in without tearing anything apart.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights broken up by landings, and a turn or a landing in the middle often means a curved rail or a separate lift for each flight. Measuring every step and landing before choosing a rail saves trouble later.
Manufactured homes often have their steps outside, at the entry door. In that case an outdoor-rated lift or a platform lift at the porch may do more good than anything inside the house.
At the 2020 census, Burnett County had 16,526 residents, a median age of 54.4, and 29.7% of residents age 65 or older. The USDA classifies the county as a high-recreation retirement destination, which matches what you see around the lakes.
Among occupied homes, 82.6% are owner-occupied. That matters because owners can usually approve a permanent installation on their own, and several funding programs below require that you own and live in the home.
Nearly everyone in the county lives in a rural or unincorporated area, which means longer drives to medical providers and home-modification contractors. Plan the measurement visit, any program paperwork and the install date with that travel in mind.
Help with funding here mostly comes from county-level and regional providers rather than city offices. The Burnett County ADRC sits at 7410 County Rd. K, Suite 280, in Siren, and the Burnett County Veterans Services Office is in the same building at Suite 128.
Two Wisconsin Medicaid waivers, IRIS and Family Care, list stair lifts as a covered home modification for people who qualify for a nursing-facility level of care. The ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin at (877) 485-2372 is the local starting point for both.
If Medicaid is not an option, WisLoan offers loans for home modifications with no income requirement to apply, and indiGO helps Burnett County residents apply. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants cover accessibility changes for low-income rural homeowners.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Burnett County Veterans Services Office at (715) 349-2179 can talk through what the VA may cover instead.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver with an individualized annual budget that can pay for home modifications, and stair lifts are named as covered. Start with the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin at (877) 485-2372.
A managed-care Medicaid waiver that authorizes home modifications, including stair lifts, through the member's care plan. Enrollment goes through the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin at (877) 485-2372.
A loan, not a grant, for Wisconsin adults with a disability that covers home modifications, with down payment assistance of 10%-60% based on household income. Burnett County residents apply through indiGO at (800) 924-1220.
The regional center for independent living serving Burnett County, offering peer support, advocacy and help with WisLoan applications; its materials do not list stair lift funding directly. Call (800) 924-1220.
Free benefit counseling for residents age 60+ and ages 18-59 with a disability, plus an equipment loan closet that does not list stair lifts. Call (877) 485-2372.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+ that cover accessibility changes; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (715) 635-8228.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes that explicitly excludes stair glides. The Burnett County Veterans Services Office is at (715) 349-2179.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Repairs and accessibility modifications for income-eligible homeowners in Burnett and nearby counties; ramps are named but stair lifts are not. Call (715) 939-1390.
A statewide nonprofit offering down payment assistance, gap financing and home-repair support for households with a member who has a permanent disability; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (608) 251-4446.
Older adults
7410 County Rd. K, Suite 280, Siren, 54872
Veterans
7410 County Road K, Suite 128, Siren, 54872
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants cover larger adaptations for severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so call the Burnett County Veterans Services Office at (715) 349-2179 to ask about your situation.
No. The loan closet lends walkers, bath chairs, wheelchairs and toilet seat risers for up to 6 months, and stair lifts are not on that list.
Yes. The ADRC has a Disability Benefit Specialist for ages 18-59 with a disability, IRIS and Family Care accept adults 18-64 with qualifying disabilities, and WisLoan is open to Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability.
Usually, but the landings matter. Split-levels often have short flights with turns, which may call for a curved rail or a separate straight lift on each flight.
An outdoor-rated stair lift or a platform lift at the entry can handle exterior steps. We look at the steps, the landing and the door before recommending one.
No. There is no income requirement to apply, though household income sets how much down payment assistance you get. It is a loan, so it must be repaid.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
