From Summersville and Richwood out to Craigsville, Tioga and Nettie, Nicholas County sits on the Allegheny Plateau along the edge of the Monongahela National Forest. Many houses here were built on steep or uneven lots, so a raised entry or a second level is common even in a modest home.
That layout matters when someone starts having trouble with steps. This page walks through how local home styles affect the kind of stair lift that fits, and which state, federal, veteran and nonprofit programs a Nicholas County household can contact about the cost.
About 33.8% of Nicholas County's 8,398 residents are 65 or older. The county's median age is 46.1, compared with 42.7 for West Virginia as a whole.
Roughly 69.1% of residents own their homes, and the median owner-occupied home value is about $121,600. For many families that means staying put and adapting the house makes more sense than moving, and owning the home also makes it simpler to approve an installation.
Ranch-style homes and single-family detached houses with one inside staircase usually take a straight stair lift. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and is the simplest and most common fit.
Split-level homes are different. Short flights with a turn or landing between levels often need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, or two separate straight lifts if the layout allows it.
Low-rise buildings with shared stairwells raise their own questions, because the owner or manager of the building may need to approve anything attached to the stairs.
The county's mountainous, heavily forested terrain shaped how homes were built, and a lot of houses in hollow settlements and small towns sit above the road with a flight of steps up to the door. Getting into the house can be harder than getting upstairs inside it.
For those steps, an outdoor stair lift with weather-resistant parts is one option. Where a wheelchair user needs to get in and out, a vertical platform lift may suit better than a seat, and we can look at both during a home visit.
Household budgets in Nicholas County are tight for many families; the median household income is about $42,946, below the state figure of $50,884. Several programs below may help, though only some of them clearly name home modifications.
The Home Modification and Accessibility Program through the WV Bureau of Senior Services and the ACIL Community Living Services Program both list home modifications as a funded category. The Aged and Disabled Waiver covers physical adaptations to the home case by case. VA and USDA programs have their own rules, and one VA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
A good first call is Central WV Aging Services in Sutton at (304) 765-3668, which serves Nicholas County and can connect residents to state programs. Veterans can reach the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance – Summersville Benefits Office at (304) 872-0829.
A Medicaid waiver for West Virginians 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits; its Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit covers physical adaptations to the home case by case, though the source does not list stair lifts by name. Call (866) 767-1575.
A state program for West Virginia residents age 60 or older who need home modifications or accessibility devices to live more independently, with funds awarded case by case. Home modifications are covered; call (866) 981-2372.
The area agency on aging for Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Nicholas and Webster counties, offering case management and in-home service coordination rather than a direct grant; it does not list a stair lift benefit but can connect residents to state programs. Call (304) 765-3668 or 1-800-814-8514.
Repair loans and grants, combined up to $50,000, for very-low-income rural homeowners, with the grant option limited to applicants 62 or older and to removing health and safety hazards; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call the WV Rural Development office at (304) 284-4860.
A VA benefit for medically necessary home alterations, with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A grant of up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home for mobility; the source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A grant of up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of both hands or certain breathing injuries; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
A state-funded program for people with significant disabilities who meet income guidelines in a service area that includes Nicholas County, covering home modifications, ramps and assistive devices as funds allow, with a waiting list. Call (304) 965-0376.
A statewide loan program for qualified West Virginia residents with a disability to buy assistive technology devices or services; the source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (800) 642-8207.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
848 Northside Drive, Summersville, 26651
Yes, possibly. The Aged and Disabled Waiver starts at age 18 for people who meet Medicaid and level-of-care rules, and the ACIL Community Living Services Program serves people with significant disabilities who meet income guidelines, at (304) 965-0376.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the Summersville Benefits Office at (304) 872-0829 how they apply to your situation.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure, and a vertical platform lift is another choice where a wheelchair is involved. We measure the steps and the slope of the lot before recommending one.
Central WV Aging Services in Sutton, at (304) 765-3668 or 1-800-814-8514, serves Nicholas County and can point you to the state Home Modification and Accessibility Program and the Aged and Disabled Waiver.
The Section 504 program offers loans and grants, combined up to $50,000, to very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants only for those 62 or older. Its source does not list stair lifts, so call (304) 284-4860 to ask whether your project qualifies.
Not always. If each short flight is straight, separate straight lifts may work, but stairs with a turn or landing usually need a curved rail made to fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
