Sublette County has three towns, Pinedale, Marbleton and Big Piney, and a lot of open country in between. Many homes here sit on scattered rural parcels, from ranch houses along the Green River and its tributaries to small-town single-family houses built around the old community centers.
That mix shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense. A ranch home with a basement stair, a split-level with short flights, and an older house on a country lot each call for a different setup. This page walks through those choices and the programs that can help cover the cost.
Ranch properties have been part of this county since the late 1870s, and some of the earliest cattle ranches are still run by fifth- or sixth-generation families. Ranch-style homes often keep most living space on one floor, so the stair that matters is usually the one to the basement. A straight stair like that is often a good fit for a straight stair lift.
Split-level homes are different. They have several short flights between levels, and a person may need help on more than one. Sometimes two straight lifts work. If a flight turns at a landing, a curved lift built to that stair is the usual answer.
The county also has older housing that grew out of early company and camp sites, like the 1926 Calpet Camp, plus detached houses in Big Piney and Marbleton. With older stairs, we measure width, check the treads and look at where the rail can mount before recommending anything.
The valley floor sits around 6,280 feet, and the Wind River Range climbs to 13,400 feet. Winters are hard here. Big Piney was called the 'Ice Box of the Nation' in 1930 for its extreme cold.
That matters for the steps outside the house. Porch and entry steps get icy, and a fall there can be worse than one indoors. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift at the entry can let someone get in and out without climbing.
The county averages about 1.8 people per square mile, so neighbors, services and emergency responders can be far away. For someone living alone on a rural parcel, safe stair access is less of a convenience and more of a basic safety step.
About 21.7% of residents are 65 or older, and 69.3% own their homes. Most older people in the county are staying in houses they own, which makes home changes like a stair lift a practical option.
The Sublette County Veteran Service Office at 219 E. Pine Street, Suite 105, Pinedale, can help sort out which veteran programs apply. Call (307) 367-4877.
Several programs in the list below can help. The Wyoming Medicaid Community Choices Waiver (CCW), Friends of Man and Veteran Directed Care through Wyoming Independent Living (WILR) each cover home modifications or stair lifts. USDA Section 504 loans and grants can help rural homeowners with low incomes.
Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can also look at the VA housing grants, though their source names ramps and doorway widening rather than stair lifts. The Aging Division in Cheyenne, at (307) 777-7986, can also tell you about statewide options such as 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 disabled adults 19-64, who need a nursing facility level of care, with home modifications listed as a covered service under the individual care plan. Apply through the Wyoming Department of Health or call (855) 203-2936.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to people 62 and older; the grants can go toward accessibility modifications, which can include a stair lift. No phone number is listed, so confirm property eligibility and stair lift use with the local USDA office.
A nonprofit that lists stair lifts by name among the items it funds for people with household income at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. A social worker, case manager, healthcare worker, clergy member or similar professional must apply for you; the number is (303) 798-2342.
Up to $126,526 lifetime for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. The source mentions ramps and widened doorways but does not list stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 lifetime for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns, to adapt a home. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible or $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans temporarily living in a family member's home. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
A VA-funded program where an enrolled veteran directs a budget set through a VA assessment, with home modifications among the services that can be chosen. WILR has no center in Sublette County, so ask about remote intake at (307) 266-6956.
Older adults
6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 259B, Cheyenne, 82002
Veterans
219 E. Pine Street, Suite 105, Pinedale, 82941
Yes. The Community Choices Waiver also serves disabled adults aged 19-64 who need a nursing facility level of care. Friends of Man has no age limit in its listed rules, but it does have an income limit and needs a referring professional.
No. A referring professional such as a social worker, case manager, healthcare worker, clergy member or teacher has to submit the application for you. You also need to have lived independently for at least 3 months.
The Sublette County Veteran Service Office is at 219 E. Pine Street, Suite 105, Pinedale. Call (307) 367-4877 to ask which VA programs fit your situation.
The source for the SAH, SHA and TRA grants names ramps and doorway widening but does not mention stair lifts. Veteran Directed Care through WILR does list home modifications, so that may be the better path to ask about.
Yes. USDA Section 504 grants, up to $10,000, are only for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Loans up to $40,000 at 1% do not carry that age rule, and the two can be combined up to $50,000.
No. WILR runs centers in Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette, Laramie and Sheridan. Call (307) 266-6956 to ask whether they can handle intake remotely for Sublette County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
