Summers County covers 368 square miles of Appalachian terrain in southern West Virginia, with the Greenbrier River running through it and portions of the New River Gorge National Park and Bluestone National Scenic River inside its borders. Hinton, the county seat with its historic downtown, is the one town most residents know as home base.
Homes here range from single-family houses and detached homes to mobile homes and walk-up apartments. This page walks through how those homes fit with different kinds of stair lifts, and which state and VA programs a Summers County family can call about when it comes to cost.
The 2020 census counted 11,959 residents in the county, and 25.5% of them were 65 or older. The median age was 48.6, so a lot of households are already thinking about how to stay in the house they own.
About 68.1% of residents are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because a homeowner can approve the mounting work a stair lift needs without asking a landlord.
In a single-family or detached home with a straight run of stairs, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so most installs do not require changes to the structure.
If the staircase turns at a landing or bends partway up, a curved lift with a custom rail is the usual answer. We measure every step in person before recommending one, since curved rails are built to the exact stairs.
Mobile homes often have their trouble at the front door, where steps lead up from the yard. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle that entry. Walk-up apartments are a different case, since shared stairways usually need the building owner to sign off first.
Summers County averages about 33 people per square mile, based on its population and 360 square miles of land. That spread-out pattern means longer drives to medical appointments and to the people who install and service equipment.
When we plan an install here, we try to cover the measuring, questions and paperwork in as few trips as possible. It helps to have the stair layout, door widths and any doctor's notes ready before the first visit.
The 2010 census reported a median household income of $27,720 in Summers County, with about 21.6% of residents below the poverty line. For many families, public programs are the first place to look before paying out of pocket.
None of the programs below name stair lifts directly, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Still, several cover home modifications or accessibility devices, so a phone call to ask is worth making. West Virginia also has a Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund listed among its statewide programs.
For local help, the Summers County Council on Aging can be reached at (304) 466-4019. Veterans can contact the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance Princeton Benefit Office at 195 Davis Street Suite 123, Princeton, at (304) 425-5194. The state also lists Region III - WVDA Southern AAA in Charleston at (304) 340-3501.
A statewide Medicaid waiver for people 65+, or 18-64 and disabled, who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits; its EAA-Home service pays for physical adaptations to the home, though stair lifts are not named. Call (304) 558-3317.
The local intake and referral point for adults 60+ in Summers County, offering services such as personal care, homemaker, respite, nutrition and transportation; no home modification or stair lift program is listed. Call (304) 466-4019 to ask about current referral options.
Adults 60+ who can show a need for home modifications or accessibility devices to live more independently may apply for funds toward those costs; stair lifts are not named and no dollar amount is stated. Call (866) 981-2372.
Pays for medically necessary permanent changes like entrance ramps and bathroom work, up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are specifically excluded.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own their home, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026, to adapt a home for accessibility; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
195 Davis Street Suite 123, Princeton, 24739
Most senior programs here start at 60, but the West Virginia Aged and Disabled Waiver also covers people 18-64 who are disabled per SSA determination and meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits. Call (304) 558-3317 to ask about eligibility.
The HISA grant does not, because it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so a veteran who qualifies should call (800) 827-1000 or the Princeton Benefit Office at (304) 425-5194 to ask.
The Summers County Council on Aging at (304) 466-4019 is the local starting point for adults 60 and older. They can point you toward services and referrals that fit your situation.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts and vertical platform lifts are made for entry steps, and we look at the ground, the steps and the door during the home visit to see which fits.
For 2026 the income limit is about $2,982 per month regardless of marital status, and the asset limit is $2,000 for a single person. You also have to choose waiver services instead of nursing home placement.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
