From Appleton and Kaukauna along the Fox River to Shiocton and Black Creek out toward the Wolf River, Outagamie County has a lot of older two-story and split-level houses. Those homes put the bedroom, the bathroom or the laundry on a different floor from the kitchen. That is usually the first thing families notice when a parent starts slowing down on the stairs.
This page covers the 13 towns in the county, including Greenville, Little Chute, Kimberly, Combined Locks, Seymour, Hortonville, Dale, Nichols and Bear Creek. It explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit local homes, how winter changes the picture for outdoor steps, and which Wisconsin and Fox Valley programs may help with the cost.
Many single-family homes here are older two-story or split-level designs. In a two-story house, a single straight staircase between floors is often the best case for a straight stair lift, which mounts to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights between several levels, so a family may need a lift on one flight or more than one, depending on which rooms matter day to day. We look at where the person sleeps, bathes and eats before suggesting anything.
If a staircase turns at a landing or curves, a straight rail will not work. A curved stair lift uses a rail built to that specific staircase, which is why we measure on site first.
Outside the single-family neighborhoods, the county also has townhouses, duplexes and low-rise buildings. Townhouses often have narrow, steep interior stairs, and a slim folding seat helps keep the stairway usable for others.
In a duplex or low-rise building, the stairs may be shared or owned by someone else. Renters and co-owners should talk with the property owner before an install, since the rail attaches to the stairs.
Wisconsin's cold winters and heavy snowfall make the front or back steps a real hazard, not just the inside stairs. About 25.4% of county residents live in rural settings, where homes in places like Shiocton, Nichols or Bear Creek can have exposed entry steps.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and it can make getting in and out of the house safer through the snowy months. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be a better fit than a seat. Either way, the path to the lift still needs to be kept clear of snow and ice.
Outagamie County has 137,996 residents, and 15.7% are 65 or older. About 69.5% of households own their home, which matters because owners can usually make permanent changes like a stair lift without asking permission.
The Outagamie County Veterans Service Office at 320 S. Walnut St. in Appleton can be reached at (920) 832-5697 to talk through VA benefits.
Two Wisconsin Medicaid programs, IRIS and Family Care, name stair lifts as a covered home modification for people who qualify. Both start with the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Outagamie County at (866) 739-2372, which checks eligibility for these programs.
Several local nonprofits and loan programs fund accessibility work and home repairs but do not mention stair lifts in their published descriptions, so ask each one directly. Statewide, families also hear about the Community Options Program (COP), WisLoan (WisTech Alternative Loan Program) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP).
For veterans, note that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The programs below have the details and phone numbers.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents 65+ or 18-64 with a disability who meet nursing facility level of care, and its home-modification spending explicitly includes stair lifts. Enrollment starts through the local ADRC, and the program line is (888) 515-4747.
Medicaid managed long-term care for eligible adults 18+ that lists installation of stair lifts, ramps and grab bars as a home modification within a member's care plan. Enroll through the ADRC at (866) 739-2372.
The county's single point of entry for Family Care, IRIS, benefits counseling and referrals, with priority for adults 60+ and people with disabilities. It does not fund stair lifts itself; call (866) 739-2372.
A 0% interest, deferred-payment loan for low- and moderate-income owner-occupants that covers accessibility work like ramps and wider doorways, but stair lifts are not mentioned and Appleton is excluded because it runs its own program. Call (920) 448-6480.
A lifetime VA benefit of $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, used for structural home changes. It explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
Deferred-payment, no-interest loans for low-to-moderate income households with an elderly or disabled member, covering ramps and bathroom, kitchen and bedroom modifications; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (920) 490-0500.
Free critical repairs and safety modifications such as grab bars and handrails for low-income Fox Valley homeowners, with priority for older adults, people with disabilities and veterans. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so confirm scope at (920) 730-2156.
Critical safety repairs for low-income homeowners in the Fox Cities service area; the program does not list specific repair types. Call (920) 954-8702 to ask about current scope.
Older adults
401 S. Elm St., Appleton, 54911
Veterans
320 S. Walnut St., Appleton, 54911
It can. Both IRIS and Family Care list stair lifts as a home modification for people who qualify for Medicaid long-term care. Start with the ADRC of Outagamie County at (866) 739-2372.
For 2026, the limits are roughly $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets for a single applicant, and the primary residence is generally exempt. The person also has to meet nursing facility level of care.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Veterans can call the Outagamie County Veterans Service Office at (920) 832-5697 to talk about other VA benefits.
No. That program excludes entitlement cities like Appleton, which run their own CDBG programs. Homeowners elsewhere in Outagamie County may be eligible and can call (920) 448-6480.
Sometimes. Split-level homes have short flights between several levels, so it depends on which levels the person needs to reach each day. We measure each flight during the home visit.
For homes with exposed entry steps, it can be. Wisconsin's cold and heavy snow make outside steps risky, and an outdoor lift is built for the weather, though the path to it still needs to be cleared.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
