From Black River Falls out to Melrose, Alma Center, Merrillan, Hixton, Taylor, Mission and Sand Pillow, Jackson County is spread across about 1,000 square miles of west-central Wisconsin, split by the Black River. The 2020 Census counted 79.1% of residents living in rural areas, so many homes sit on their own lots well away from a town center.
The west side of the county, around Black River Falls and the Black River State Forest, sits at the edge of the Driftless Area and is hillier and sandier than the flatter east. That terrain shapes the stairs people climb every day: raised entries, walkout basements and split-level layouts. This page walks through what those homes mean for a stair lift and which programs can help with the cost.
Most housing here is single-family homes, with some duplexes, walk-up apartments and split-level homes mixed in. A single straight staircase from the main floor to the bedrooms is the simplest case, and a straight stair lift usually handles it with a rail mounted to the stair treads.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short runs of stairs between several floors, sometimes with a landing or turn. A turn or landing usually calls for a curved rail built to the shape of the staircase, or a separate lift for each straight run.
Walk-up apartments and duplexes bring their own questions, such as whether the stairway is shared and who owns it. Those are worth sorting out with the property owner before planning an installation.
On the sloped and wooded lots common around Black River Falls, the hardest climb is often outside: steps from the driveway up to a raised front door, or down to a walkout basement entry. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure, which matters through a Wisconsin winter.
When steps are too short for a rail or someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the full path from the car to the main living floor before recommending any single piece of equipment.
The county's own profile notes that rural distances, sandy and hilly ground and forested land can complicate winter road access and the availability of contractors and service. That is a good reason to plan an installation before an urgent need arises, not after a fall.
In the 2020 Census, 19.7% of residents were 65 or older and 75.0% of housing units were owner-occupied. Many of those owners want to stay in the homes they know, and a stair lift is often what keeps the upstairs bedroom or the basement laundry usable.
Wisconsin's Medicaid long-term care programs, IRIS and Family Care, can cover home modifications for people who qualify. The IRIS source names stair lifts directly, and Family Care authorizes home modifications case by case through a care plan. The Jackson County ADRC at 420 Hwy 54 W in Black River Falls, (715) 284-4301, is where county residents start these applications.
For people who do not qualify for Medicaid, WisLoan offers loans from $500 up to $80,000 for assistive technology, including stair lifts, with no income requirement. Homeowners on lower incomes can also ask about the Western Dairyland home rehabilitation loan and USDA Section 504 repair help.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Jackson County Veterans Service Office at 307 Main Street in Black River Falls, (715) 284-0225, can help sort out which VA benefits apply. Details on every program are listed below.
A self-directed Medicaid program for Wisconsin residents age 65+ or ages 18-64 with a disability who need a nursing-facility level of care; its covered home modifications explicitly include stair lifts, funded through an individualized budget. For 2026 the single-applicant limits are $2,982/month income and $2,000 in assets; call (888) 515-4747 or apply through the local ADRC.
Medicaid managed long-term care for residents age 65+ or adults with disabilities who meet financial and functional eligibility, which can provide home modifications approved case by case in a member's care plan. Call (800) 362-3002 for information.
The county's intake point for long-term care programs, offering options counseling, benefit help and enrollment assistance for Family Care and IRIS rather than direct funding; its source does not mention stair lifts. Call (715) 284-3978.
A 0% interest deferred loan, minimum $1,000, for income-eligible owners who live in their Jackson County home, repaid when the home is sold, refinanced or no longer the primary residence. Accessibility for individuals with disabilities is an eligible activity, but stair lifts are not named; call (715) 985-2391.
A VA grant for medically necessary home alterations with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift; call (715) 284-0225 with questions.
A grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, usable up to 6 times. The source gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts; call (715) 284-0225.
A grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans or qualifying family members with certain service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times. Stair lifts are not mentioned on the source; call (715) 284-0225 to ask about eligibility.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+ in eligible rural areas, combinable up to $50,000. Accessibility modifications are mentioned, but stair lifts are not specifically named.
A statewide loan program for Wisconsin residents age 18+ with a disability, offering $500 to $80,000 with no income requirement, and stair lifts fall within its scope. Call (608) 787-1111.
A nonprofit providing free services to people with disabilities across a 13-county region that includes Jackson County, and it administers WisLoan and assistive technology programs. It does not list a stair lift benefit directly; call (608) 787-1111.
A county office in the Jackson County Court House that helps veterans and dependents apply for federal and state benefits; it does not provide funding or mention stair lift assistance. Call (715) 284-0225.
Older adults
420 Hwy 54 W, Black River Falls, 54615
Veterans
307 Main Street, Black River Falls, 54615
It can, through IRIS or Family Care, for people who meet Medicaid financial limits and need a nursing-facility level of care. IRIS lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. Start with the Jackson County ADRC at (715) 284-4301.
Yes. IRIS covers ages 18-64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability who meet its care and financial rules. WisLoan also serves Wisconsin residents age 18+ with a disability and has no income requirement.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts on their source. The Jackson County Veterans Service Office at (715) 284-0225 can review what other benefits may apply.
Often, yes. Split-levels tend to have short runs between floors, which may need a curved rail through a turn or a separate straight lift on each run. A home visit is the way to measure and decide.
The Jackson County ADRC is at 420 Hwy 54 W, Black River Falls, WI 54615. The office phone is (715) 284-4301.
Yes. You must own and live in the home as your primary residence and be income-eligible. The loan is secured by a mortgage on the property and is not repaid until the home is sold, refinanced or no longer your primary residence.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
