Goshen County spreads across about 2,232 square miles of Wyoming's High Plains, with the North Platte River running through it and only four towns: Torrington, Lingle, La Grange and Fort Laramie. Torrington is the county seat and the largest city. Out past town limits, homes sit on farms and ranches that average roughly 1,840 acres each.
That spread-out, ranching way of life shapes what aging in place looks like here. Multi-level farmhouses and older in-town homes with an entry staircase are common obstacles, and winter snow and ice make outside steps harder still. This page covers which kind of stair lift fits the homes you see around the county and where to look for help paying for one.
Most housing here is single-family homes and detached houses, with plenty of split-level homes and ranch-style homes mixed in. The county counts 5,856 housing units, and the bulk of them are owner-occupied. Owning the house matters, because you can make permanent changes like mounting a rail to the stairs.
A split-level home usually has short flights between levels. If a short flight is straight, a straight stair lift is often the simplest fit. If the stairs turn or you need to reach more than one level, a curved rail or a separate lift for each flight may be needed, and we measure on site to tell which.
Ranch-style homes keep most living on one floor, but the trouble spot is often the entry steps. Older farmhouses tend to have the full staircase to a second floor, which is where a straight or curved indoor lift does the most good.
The climate here is semi-arid, with cold winters that have hit a record low of -43°F and summers that have reached 111°F. Snowfall is significant, and icy exterior steps and walkways come back every season as a hazard for anyone with limited mobility.
If the hardest climb is from the driveway to the front or back door, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may make more sense than an indoor unit. A platform lift is the option to look at if the person uses a wheelchair. When we visit, we look at how the steps face the weather and where snow piles up before recommending a model.
About 21.0% of Goshen County's 7,162 residents are 65 or older, and many of them have lived in the same house for a long time. For an adult child living out of town, a stair lift can be the change that keeps a parent on the home place instead of moving into Torrington or farther away.
If that includes your parent or spouse, it is worth checking the VA programs below before paying out of pocket.
Median household income in the county is $58,929, below both the Wyoming and national medians, so outside help can matter. None of the programs listed below names stair lifts outright in its official materials. That does not rule them out, but it means you should ask a caseworker directly whether a stair lift qualifies for your situation.
For rural homeowners, the USDA Section 504 program is the first one to look at, with 1% loans and grants for owners 62 and older. Veterans should call the Wyoming Veterans Service Officer for Goshen & Laramie Counties at (307) 256-1778. For general aging services, the Aging Division in Cheyenne is at (307) 777-7986.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at fixed 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; Goshen County qualifies as rural. Stair lifts are not named, so ask whether one counts as removing a health or safety hazard by calling (800) 414-1226.
Provides up to $126,526 for a permanent home in FY2026 to veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The VA describes adaptations like ramps and widened doorways and does not mention stair lifts; the county veterans service officer at (307) 256-1778 can help you ask.
Provides up to $25,350 for a permanent home in FY2026 to eligible veterans with disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands or certain severe burn or respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the VA's description, so confirm with the VA before planning around it.
A lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 for a service-connected disability or up to $2,000 for a non-service-connected disability, for veterans with VA health-care eligibility and a medical need for structural home changes. Stair lifts are not named, so check with a VA prosthetics or HISA caseworker.
Helps Medicaid-eligible Wyoming residents who meet nursing-facility level of care stay at home, with services like personal care, meals, transportation and respite. Home modifications and stair lifts are not on its listed services; call (307) 266-6956 to confirm current coverage.
A nonprofit serving Wyoming residents with disabilities, seniors and their families, with its nearest center in Cheyenne and no office in Goshen County. Its site does not list home modifications or stair lifts, but you can ask about help in your area at (307) 266-6956.
A statewide program offering no-cost 6-week device loans, demonstrations and training, and it has been described as partnering with lenders on low-interest home-modification loans. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (307) 766-6187 or toll-free (888) 989-9463 to ask whether a stair lift purchase qualifies for financing.
Offers Goshen County older adults personal care, homemaking, respite, light chores including snow removal, and a loan closet with wheelchairs, walkers, canes, commodes and crutches, on a donation and sliding-scale basis. It does not list stair lifts or home modifications, but it is a good local contact at (307) 532-2796.
Older adults
6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 259B, Cheyenne, 82002
Veterans
5800 Central Ave., Cheyenne, 82009
The USDA Section 504 grants are limited to owners 62 and older, but the program's 1% loans are open to very-low-income homeowners who live in the home and cannot get affordable credit elsewhere. Call (800) 414-1226 to check eligibility.
Stair lifts and home modifications are not on the waiver's listed services. Services listed include personal care, emergency response systems, skilled nursing, meals, transportation and respite. Call (307) 266-6956 to confirm the current list before counting on it.
The Goshen County Senior Friendship Center at (307) 532-2796 is the local contact for in-home services. The Aging Division and the veterans service officer for Goshen & Laramie Counties are both based in Cheyenne.
Start with the Wyoming Veterans Service Officer for Goshen & Laramie Counties at (307) 256-1778, located at 5800 Central Ave. in Cheyenne. They can help you sort out whether the SAH, SHA or HISA grants apply.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts and platform lifts are options for exterior steps. With winter lows that have reached -43°F and significant snowfall here, we look at where the steps sit and how snow collects before suggesting one.
The Senior Friendship Center's loan closet lists wheelchairs, walkers, canes, commodes and crutches, not stair lifts. WATR's AT4ALL device loans run 6 weeks at no cost; call (307) 766-6187 to ask what devices are available.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
