From the historic homes of Sturgeon Bay to the villages of Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Sister Bay and Baileys Harbor, a lot of Door County living happens on more than one floor. Many year-round houses here are older lake-area cottages and farmhouses that were converted or expanded over decades, and they still have their original stairways.
Those stairs were not built with a lift in mind, so we measure before we recommend anything. This page covers how local homes and the peninsula's shoreline grades affect the choice of lift, and which Wisconsin and Door County programs may help pay for one.
Multi-story construction with original stairways is common in Door County's older housing. A farmhouse addition or a cottage that grew over the years can end up with a narrow stair, a landing, or a turn partway up.
A single straight run usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simpler install. Stairs that turn or have a mid-landing generally call for a curved lift built to fit that staircase, so the rail is measured on site.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings also appear across the county. In a walk-up or shared building, the stairway may not belong to you alone, so it helps to talk with the owner or association before planning an install.
Door County sits on the Door Peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay, with 298 miles of shoreline. Many homes and access roads sit close to bluffs or shoreline grades, which often means steps outside the house as well as inside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, such as a path from the driveway or a deck down toward the water. Where a stair is too steep or a wheelchair user needs to stay seated in the chair, a platform lift may be the better fit. We look at the full route from the car to the main living floor before suggesting one.
The 2020 count put Door County's population at 30,066, with a median age of 54.5 and 31.5% of residents age 65 or older. That same census found 77.4% of occupied homes were owner-occupied, so many older residents own the stairs they climb every day.
Owning the home matters because it lets you decide on a permanent rail installation. It also matters for veterans, since the VA housing grants require the applicant or a family member to own or plan to own the home.
The best first call for most families is the Door County ADRC at 916 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, (920) 746-2372. It is the entry point for IRIS, Family Care and other long-term care benefits, and its specialists offer free benefits counseling.
Of the programs listed below, IRIS is the one with home modifications, including stair lifts, among its covered items. Veterans can contact the Door County Veterans Service Office at 421 Nebraska Street in Sturgeon Bay, (920) 746-2225, about the VA housing grants.
Other statewide options worth asking the ADRC about include the Community Options Program (COP), the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP), and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
The Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal, completed in 1881, separates the northern peninsula into what is described as an artificial island. For people in Sister Bay, Gills Rock or Washington Island, that can mean a longer trip to the ADRC in Sturgeon Bay.
The ADRC lists Door County Connect transportation among its services, so ask about it when you call. Phone calls with benefit specialists can also cover a lot of ground before any trip is needed.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin adults 18 and older that covers home modifications, and stair lifts are named among them; any home modification over $1,000 needs an independent cost and necessity assessment. Call (888) 515-4747.
Medicaid managed long-term care for frail elders and adults with disabilities whose condition is expected to last more than 90 days; the reviewed source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (800) 362-3002.
Free information, benefits counseling and enrollment help for residents 60 and older, adults with disabilities and caregivers, and the starting point for IRIS and Family Care; the source does not list a stair lift benefit. Call (920) 746-2372.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, usable up to 6 times; the source does not mention stair lifts. The Door County Veterans Service Office at (920) 746-2225 can help with questions.
A low-interest loan for Wisconsin residents with disabilities, offered by an organization whose service area includes Door County; the source does not name stair lifts or home modifications. Call (920) 490-0500.
Free loans of donated used adaptive equipment for people in the service area, which includes Door County, who lack insurance or resources to buy it; the source does not say whether stair lifts are ever available. Call (920) 490-0500.
Older adults
916 N. 14th Ave., Sturgeon Bay, 54235
Veterans
421 Nebraska Street, Sturgeon Bay, 54235
The IRIS waiver covers home modifications, and stair lifts are named among them. You must be enrolled in Medicaid and functionally eligible, and a third-party source lists 2026 single-applicant limits of $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets. The ADRC of Door County at (920) 746-2372 can help you apply.
Yes, possibly. The ADRC of Door County serves adults 18 and older with disabilities, not only people 60 and up, and both IRIS and Family Care accept adults 18 and older who meet the other requirements.
Usually, yes. Stairs with a turn or landing generally need a curved stair lift made to fit that staircase, which is why we measure on site first.
The ADRC office is at 916 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, but you can start with a phone call to (920) 746-2372. The ADRC also lists Door County Connect transportation among its services.
Call the Door County Veterans Service Office at (920) 746-2225 or visit 421 Nebraska Street in Sturgeon Bay. They can talk through the VA SAH and SHA grants, which require a qualifying service-connected disability and ownership of the home by you or a family member.
Outdoor stair lifts are designed for exterior steps like those common near Door County's bluffs and shoreline grades. If the grade is too steep or someone needs to stay in a wheelchair, we may suggest a platform lift instead.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
