Madison County is a small place on the map, about 473 square miles of southeastern Idaho with the Teton Range along its eastern edge. Most homes sit in and around Rexburg and Sugar City, where single-family homes and ranch-style houses share the streets with townhouses and walk-up apartments built for a large student population.
That mix matters when someone in the family starts struggling with steps. A detached house with a straight staircase is a very different job from a townhouse with a turn on the landing or an entry that ices over every winter. This page walks through what we look at in local homes and where Madison County residents can look for help paying for the work.
The 2020 census counted 14,124 housing units in Madison County, with 43.3% owner-occupied and 56.7% renter-occupied. The county's median age is 23.1, largely because of BYU-Idaho students, so much of the housing was built for student and family rentals rather than for older adults.
For homeowners in single-family homes and detached houses, a straight staircase is usually the simplest fit. A straight stair lift runs on a rail mounted to the stair treads, not the wall, and is often the most affordable type.
Townhouses and some older houses can have stairs that turn or have a landing partway up. Those need a curved lift with a rail built to the exact shape of the staircase, which takes longer to make and costs more than a straight unit.
With more renters than owners in the county, it is worth sorting this out early. A stair lift is attached to the stairs, so a renter needs the landlord's permission before anything is installed.
Walk-up apartments are a harder case because the stairs are often shared common areas. If the person who needs the lift owns the home, or a family member does, the conversation is much simpler.
Madison County is mountain-valley country, and the county has a history of flood events, notably in 1976. Snow, ice and uneven ground can make the front or back steps the hardest part of getting in and out of the house for someone with limited mobility.
When the problem is the outside steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is one option. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift at the entry may work better than a seat lift, since the person does not have to transfer out of the chair.
Cost is a real concern here. The county has historically had one of the lowest median household incomes in Idaho, at $35,461 in the 2010 census, with 32.2% of residents below the poverty line. That is hard on anyone living on a fixed income who needs to change their home.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts outright, but several cover home accessibility changes or can point you to help. Statewide options to ask about include the Idaho Medicaid Aged & Disabled (A&D) Waiver, the Idaho Assistive Technology Project's Low-Interest Financial Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Idaho Property Tax Reduction (Circuit Breaker).
If that includes someone in your family, start with the Madison County Veterans Service Office at 159 E. Main Street, Rexburg, 83440, phone (208) 359-6249. For aging services, the Area VI AAA is at 420 N. Holmes Ave., Idaho Falls, 83401, phone (208) 522-5391.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with a qualifying service-connected disability, with FY2026 limits of up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA. The VA describes covered work as things like installing ramps or widening doorways and does not name stair lifts, so ask the Madison County Veterans Service Office at (208) 359-6249 about applying with VA Form 26-4555.
A state Medicaid program for Idaho residents age 65+ or with a qualifying disability who meet income and resource guidelines, run by the Idaho Dept. of Health & Welfare. It lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a service but does not name stair lifts; call (866) 849-3843 to ask.
The regional agency on aging for seniors age 60+ in eastern Idaho, offering in-home services that help people stay in their homes. It does not list a stair lift or home modification grant, so call (208) 542-8179 and ask about referrals for accessibility equipment.
A statewide advocacy group that gives information and referrals to Idaho residents with disabilities. It does not fund home modifications or mention stair lifts, and no phone number was listed, so reach it through its website contact form.
Older adults
420 N. Holmes Ave., Idaho Falls, 83401
Veterans
159 E. Main Street, Rexburg, 83440
The Idaho Medicaid Aged & Disabled program lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a covered service for eligible members, but it does not name stair lifts. Call (866) 849-3843 to ask whether a stair lift could qualify in your situation.
EICAP Senior Services, the Area VI Agency on Aging, serves seniors age 60+ in eastern Idaho and coordinates in-home support services. Call (208) 542-8179 to ask about referrals for accessibility equipment.
The Madison County Veterans Service Office is at 159 E. Main Street in Rexburg, phone (208) 359-6249. Staff there can help with VA home adaptation grants and other VA benefits.
Only with the landlord's permission, because the lift is mounted to the stairs. Shared stairways in walk-up apartments are usually the hardest to get approved.
Usually yes, with a curved stair lift. The rail is made to match your staircase, so it costs more and takes longer than a straight lift.
The Idaho Assistive Technology Project runs a Low-Interest Financial Loan Program that applies statewide. Contact the project directly to ask whether a stair lift qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
