Lake County covers 54 towns, from the bluff-top streets of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff to the inland lake towns of Fox Lake, Antioch and Round Lake Beach. More of the county is water than land: 935 of its 1,368 square miles. That shapes where people live and what their houses look like.
A colonial in Libertyville, an older home near the lakefront in Waukegan and a townhouse in Vernon Hills all have different stairs. That changes which stair lift fits and what it takes to install one. This page walks through how local homes line up with lift types, and which programs may help with the cost.
Lake County's housing splits roughly three ways. The North Shore lakefront communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and Highland Park have many older, larger homes. Western and inland Lake County is mostly postwar suburban and exurban single-family housing, with ranch and colonial homes on larger lots.
Lakefront cities such as Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion have older, denser housing stock. Across the county you will also find townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. For owners of older multi-level homes who want to stay put, a permanently installed stair lift is often a practical alternative to moving.
A straight stair lift is the simplest fit. It works for a single run of stairs with no turns or landings, which is common in many colonials and townhouses. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so most installs do not touch the walls at all.
Older homes along the North Shore and in the lakefront cities more often have turns, landings or narrow winders. Those need a curved lift with a rail built to the exact shape of the staircase. We measure on site before quoting so the rail fits the first time.
Homes on the ravines and bluffs above Lake Michigan, or on sloped lots near the inland lakes, sometimes have long outdoor steps to the front door or a lower level. An outdoor stair lift built for the weather can cover those. If the person needing help uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
About 15.1% of Lake County's 664,478 residents are 65 or older, and 72.9% of households own their homes. Owners can install a permanent lift without asking anyone. If you rent a walk-up apartment or a unit in a low-rise building, talk with your landlord before scheduling anything.
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County in Gurnee can help veterans sort through VA benefits. Call them at (847) 377-3344.
Only one program listed below names stair lifts directly: the Illinois Home Modification and Assistive Technology service through IDHS. It is reached through the Persons with Disabilities Waiver, which is for Illinois residents under age 60 at application, or through a referral from a Center for Independent Living. In Lake County, that is the Lake County Center for Independent Living in Mundelein.
If you are 60 or older, start with AgeGuide, the Area Agency on Aging that serves Lake County. Ask about a Care Coordination Unit referral and any home modification help. Homeowners with lower incomes can also ask Community Partners for Affordable Housing about its Home Repair and Accessibility Program.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants are the VA route to ask about for adapting a home. Each program below lists who it serves and the number to call.
A state Medicaid waiver service whose official page names stair lifts among its examples, along with ramps and widened doorways. It is reached through the Persons with Disabilities Waiver or a Center for Independent Living referral; call (800) 843-6154.
A Medicaid waiver for Illinois residents under age 60 at application who have a severe disability expected to last 12 months or more and are at risk of nursing facility placement. Its page describes home modifications generally but does not name stair lifts; call (877) 581-3690.
Serves Illinois residents age 60 or older who meet an asset and income test and a long-term-care assessment, covering in-home, adult day, emergency home response and medication dispenser services. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 252-8966.
The regional Area Agency on Aging for adults 60 and older in Lake and nearby counties, coordinating senior services including Community Care Program access and Care Coordination Units. Its pages do not mention stair lifts, so call (630) 293-5990 to ask about home modification referrals.
A Mundelein nonprofit serving people with disabilities in Lake County with information and referral, skills training, peer mentoring and advocacy. Its pages do not list stair lifts, but it is the local center the IDHS home modification program points to; call (847) 949-4440.
A nonprofit repair and accessibility program for homeowners in Lake County or Cook County at or below 150% of Area Median Income; the accessibility track requires a household member age 62 or older or with a disability. Ramps and doorway widening are mentioned but stair lifts are not; call (847) 263-7478.
State funding for health and safety repairs and accessibility improvements for low- and very-low-income homeowners, applied for through a local grantee rather than IHDA. Stair lifts are not itemized; in Lake County, CPAH is the agency most likely to administer it.
Federal repair loans, and grants for homeowners age 62 or older, limited to USDA-designated rural areas, which leaves out most of Lake County. Stair lifts are not listed; check your address on the USDA eligibility map or call (217) 403-6200.
A VA benefit for home accessibility changes, with a $6,800 lifetime maximum for service-connected disabilities and $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities. It explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. Stair lifts are not named specifically, so ask the VA or the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County at (847) 377-3344.
Older adults
1910 S. Highland Ave., Suite 100, Lombard, 60148
Veterans
1790 Nations Drive, Suite 221, Gurnee, 60031
Yes, possibly. The IDHS Home Modification and Assistive Technology service names stair lifts, and it is reached through the Persons with Disabilities Waiver, which requires being under age 60 at application. Call (800) 843-6154 or the Lake County Center for Independent Living at (847) 949-4440.
Call AgeGuide, the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, at (630) 293-5990. Ask about a Care Coordination Unit referral and whether home modification help is available. The Community Care Program it connects to does not list stair lifts among its services.
The HISA benefit will not, because it explicitly excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants are for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities and do not name stair lifts specifically, so ask directly. The Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County in Gurnee can help at (847) 377-3344.
Usually, yes. Stairs with turns or landings need a curved lift with a rail made to fit that staircase. We measure on site so the rail matches your stairs.
Only in USDA-designated rural areas, and most of Lake County is suburban or exurban. Check your specific address on the USDA eligibility map or call (217) 403-6200.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
