Paulding County grew from 81,678 people in 2000 to 168,661 in 2020, and most of the homes in and around Dallas, Hiram and Braswell went up during that boom. Many are subdivision houses with two-story or split-level floor plans, where a staircase connects the garage or entry level to the kitchen, bedrooms and main bath.
Those stairs were easy to live with when the house was bought by a young family. Years later, the same flight can decide whether a parent stays home or moves. This page explains how a stair lift fits the homes and hilly lots found here, and which programs may help with the cost.
The common layout here puts a short flight between the garage and the main floor, then a full flight up to the bedrooms. A straight flight with no landing is usually the simplest install, since a straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall.
Split-level homes can have two short flights with a turn or landing between them. That may call for a curved rail built to the exact shape of your stairs, or two separate straight lifts. We measure each flight before recommending either one.
Paulding County covers 314 square miles of Georgia's Piedmont, with some hills topping 1,000 feet and a peak near Yorkville reaching about 1,410 feet. On a lot like that, the trouble often starts before the front door.
Many homes here sit on real grade changes, with steps up from a sloped driveway or down to a back patio. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on exterior steps. Where a wheelchair needs to come along, a platform lift may be the better fit than a seat.
Most homes in the county are owner-occupied: 78.8% at the 2020 census, with an estimated 80.8% by 2024. For owners, a stair lift is a straightforward decision about the house itself.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments are also part of the local mix. If you rent, the landlord or association needs to approve any rail on a shared or interior stair, so talk with them before scheduling a measurement.
The county's median age was 36.9 in 2024, so the senior group is still small, but it is growing inside homes bought during the 2000s through 2020s.
Veterans with service-connected disabilities should start with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service - Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746, located at 320 W. Cherokee Ave, Room 105, Cartersville. There is no VA facility listed for Paulding County in our records.
Medicare and most insurance are not the place to start. Instead, look at the state, federal and nonprofit programs listed below, several of which name home modification as a covered service.
For anyone 60 or older, the first call is usually the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485, 1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome. They can route you to in-home services and explain what is available in Paulding County. Ask each program directly whether a stair lift qualifies, since most sources do not name stair lifts specifically.
Offers loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, to very-low-income owners in USDA-eligible rural areas. The source does not mention stair lifts, and eligibility must be checked address by address.
Provides up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own or will own, with up to $50,961 for a temporary residence. The source does not mention stair lifts; the Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746 can help with applications.
Provides up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands, and the home may be owned by a family member. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source, so ask the Cartersville office at (770) 387-3746.
A state program for Georgians 60 and older and their caregivers that lists home modification and repair as a covered in-home service. Call (866) 552-4464, or the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485.
A Medicaid waiver for elderly or disabled Georgians who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering services like personal care and adult day care. Stair lifts are not listed; access runs through the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485.
A Medicaid waiver for Georgians ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury that lists home modifications as a covered service. Call (800) 982-0411.
A nonprofit offering home modification services, described as free, for people of all ages with disabilities in its 18-county northwest Georgia area. Paulding County's inclusion is not confirmed, so call (706) 314-0008 to check.
Older adults
1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, 30161
Veterans
320 W. Cherokee Ave, Room 105, Cartersville, 30120
Often, yes. A single straight flight takes a straight rail, while two short flights with a turn may need a curved rail or two separate lifts. We measure the stairs before suggesting either.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, which are common on Paulding County's hilly lots. If a wheelchair needs to go up too, a platform lift may fit better.
The Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves Medicaid recipients ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury and lists home modifications. Call (800) 982-0411.
Start with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service - Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746. They can help with VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grant applications.
It depends on the exact address, because the property must be in a USDA-eligible rural area. Each address has to be checked individually, and the source does not mention stair lifts.
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Rome serves the area. Reach them at (706) 295-6485.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
