Benewah County sits in the rolling hills of the northern Palouse, with St. Maries as the county seat and largest city and Plummer as its other town. A lot of homes here were built on sloped lots, so front-entry steps and split-level layouts are common. Those designs work fine for decades, then start to cause trouble as knees and balance change.
This page walks through what local home styles mean for a stair lift, why planning ahead matters in a county this rural, and which programs may help with the cost. If you are helping a parent in St. Maries or Plummer stay in their own house, start with the stairs they use every day.
Many older homes in the county were adapted to hilly ground. That often means a split-level floor plan inside and a set of entry steps outside. Each of these calls for a different kind of lift.
A split-level usually has short, straight runs between levels, which suits a straight stair lift. If a run turns at a landing, a curved rail built to fit that staircase is the usual answer. Front-entry steps exposed to weather call for an outdoor-rated lift, and where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Ranch-style homes look single-story, but many still have steps up to the door or down to a basement. Those steps are worth measuring too, since they are often the ones people avoid first.
Alongside single-family houses, the county has walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. In a shared stairwell, the building owner has to approve any lift, and the rail has to leave room for others to pass.
If you rent, talk with the landlord before anything else. Owners have more freedom, and most housing here is owner-occupied, which is one reason stair lifts make sense for so many local households.
Benewah County covers 784 square miles at about 12.3 people per square mile, and part of it is the St. Joe National Forest. The whole county is classified as rural.
That low density means fewer local contractors and longer waits for home-modification equipment like stair lifts than in nearby urban counties. If a hospital discharge or a fall is likely to change things soon, it helps to get the stairs measured before the need becomes urgent.
The 2020 census put the county's median age at 47.5, and 13.8% of residents are 65 or older.
The housing stock is stable and long-tenured rather than new accessible construction. In plain terms, many people are growing older in homes that were never designed around stairs being hard.
Out-of-pocket cost is a real concern in a county with an older population. Several programs may help, but none of the sources below name stair lifts specifically, so ask each one directly how a lift would be treated.
Veterans can start with Benewah County Veterans Services at 701 W College Ave, St Maries, (208) 446-1097, or call the VA at (800) 827-1000 about the SAH, SHA and TRA grants. For older adults and caregivers, the North Idaho AAA (Area I) in Coeur d'Alene can be reached at (208) 667-3179. Idaho Medicaid's A&D Waiver lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a service, and the self-reliance line is (877) 456-1233.
Statewide, it may also be worth asking about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Idaho Property Tax Reduction (Circuit Breaker).
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, usable up to 6 times; the VA names ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not list stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands, usable up to 6 times; stair lifts are not listed among the examples. Call (800) 827-1000.
Helps SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans adapt a family member's home they are temporarily living in, up to $50,961 or $9,100 respectively for FY2026; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (800) 827-1000.
Medicaid home and community services for Idahoans 65+ or adults with a qualifying disability who meet nursing-facility level of care and financial limits; it includes environmental accessibility adaptations, though stair lifts are not named. Call (877) 456-1233.
An information and referral agency for older adults (typically 60+) and caregivers in ten northern Idaho counties, including Benewah; no specific stair lift program is listed. Call (208) 667-3179.
Older adults
2120 Lakewood Drive, Suite B, Coeur d'Alene, 83814
Veterans
701 W College Ave, St Maries, 83861
The VA's SAH, SHA and TRA grants cover home adaptations for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, but the VA page only names ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000 or Benewah County Veterans Services at (208) 446-1097 to ask about your situation.
Yes, possibly. The Idaho Medicaid A&D Waiver serves adults with a qualifying disability as well as people 65+, if they meet level-of-care and financial rules. AAA North typically serves people 60 and older and their caregivers.
The North Idaho AAA (Area I) is at 2120 Lakewood Drive, Suite B, Coeur d'Alene, 83814. The phone number is (208) 667-3179.
Split-levels often have short straight runs, which suit a straight stair lift. If the stairs turn at a landing, you would need a curved rail made for that staircase.
Benewah County is fully rural with about 12.3 people per square mile, so there are fewer contractors and longer waits for equipment than in nearby urban counties. Getting measured early helps.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
