Fremont County stretches from the high desert around Boysen State Park to the glaciated Wind River Range, and the homes in between are just as varied. Riverton and Lander hold most of the in-town housing, while ranch houses, rural-route properties and reservation homes are spread out toward Dubois, Shoshoni, Pavillion, Fort Washakie, Ethete and Arapahoe.
That spread matters when stairs start to become a problem. A split-level in Lander, a two-story farmhouse outside Hudson and a walk-up apartment in Riverton each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through which lift fits which home, how Fremont County winters factor in, and which programs may help with the cost.
The county had 17,407 housing units as of the 2020 Census. Most are single-family homes and detached houses, with townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes mixed in, especially around Riverton and Lander.
A single straight flight with no landing in the middle is the simplest case. A straight stair lift runs on a rail bolted to the stair treads, not the wall, so it usually goes in without changing the house.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights, and a person may need to reach more than one level. That can mean a curved rail that follows the turns, or separate straight lifts on each flight, depending on how often each level gets used.
Outside the towns, many homes sit on one main floor but still have steps up to the front door or down to a basement. Those entry steps are often the first barrier, and they are the ones most exposed to weather.
When the trouble is a few steps outside rather than a full staircase indoors, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can make more sense than an indoor unit. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
Fremont County covers 9,266 square miles, the second-largest county by area in Wyoming. Elevation runs from desert flats up to Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet, Wyoming's highest point, and winter weather reaches every part of it.
For an outdoor lift, that means planning for snow and ice on the rail and seat, and placing the lift where it can be kept clear. Many families decide the safest plan is to bring the main entrance indoors first, so there is less reason to use icy steps at all.
The Wyoming Veterans Commission has an office at 324 E. Washington Avenue in Riverton, and you can reach it at (307) 438-2101.
The VA housing grants listed below fund permanent home modifications for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities. Ask about them, and about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), before you buy a lift.
None of the programs below name stair lifts outright in their published rules. Several do pay for home modifications or safety repairs, so a lift may be approved case by case. Get an answer in writing before installation.
Start with the Wyoming Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) for Fremont County at (888) 425-7138 or 211. It can point you to the right program, and to local senior centers in Lander, Riverton and Shoshoni. The state Aging Division in Cheyenne is at (307) 777-7986.
Other statewide programs worth asking about include the Wyoming Technology Access Program (WyTAP), the Wyoming Home Services Program (WyHS) and the Wyoming Property Tax Refund Program.
A Medicaid waiver for Wyoming residents 65 and older, or 19 to 64 with a qualifying disability, who need a nursing facility level of care; it covers approved home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and doorway widening, but stair lifts are not listed in the source. Apply after Medicaid eligibility is set, and call (855) 294-2127 with questions.
Loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older, for repairs and removing health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not named in the program description. Call the Wyoming Rural Development office in Casper at (307) 233-6799.
VA grants for permanent home modifications for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 maximums of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; stair lifts are not named in the source. No phone is listed, so start with the Wyoming Veterans Commission in Riverton at (307) 438-2101.
Free repair labor for enrolled Eastern Shoshone or Northern Arapaho members on the Wind River Indian Reservation who are elderly, disabled or veterans, covering work such as handicap ramps and bathrooms; stair lifts are not listed. No phone number is published for this program.
A no-cost information and referral service for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers in Fremont County; it does not fund stair lifts itself but can connect you to programs and senior centers. Call (888) 425-7138 or dial 211.
Older adults
6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 259B, Cheyenne, 82002
Veterans
324 E. Washington Avenue, Riverton, 82501
The Community Choices Waiver covers approved home modifications under a plan of care, but its published list names ramps, grab bars and doorway widening, not stair lifts. Applicants must meet a nursing facility level of care, with a 2026 income limit of about $2,982 a month for a single person and an asset limit of $2,000 single or $3,000 married. Call (855) 294-2127 to ask about your case.
Most of Fremont County counts as rural for the USDA Section 504 program. Very-low-income homeowners 62 and older may qualify for a grant up to $10,000, which must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years. Call (307) 233-6799.
Split-levels usually have several short flights. Depending on the layout, that means one curved rail that follows the turns or a separate straight lift on each flight you use.
Yes, outdoor lifts and vertical platform lifts are built for exterior steps. In Fremont County winters, plan where the lift will sit so you can keep snow and ice off the rail and seat.
The Wind River TERO Workforce Program provides free labor for enrolled Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho members who are elderly, disabled or veterans. Its listed work includes handicap ramps and bathrooms; stair lifts are not listed, so ask directly.
Call the Wyoming Veterans Commission in Riverton at (307) 438-2101. Staff can help you check eligibility for the VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants before any work starts.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
