From the townhouse rows of Waldorf to the split-level homes around La Plata and the water-edge houses near Cobb Island and Indian Head, Charles County has a lot of stairs. Much of the county grew up as a Washington D.C. commuter suburb, with 32.9% population growth between 1950 and 1960 alone, and the houses built in those decades tend to have more than one level.
That means many families here face the same question at some point: can a parent keep using the bedroom upstairs, or the family room down a half flight? A stair lift is often the answer, and this page walks through which type fits the homes in Bensville, Hughesville, Pomfret, Bryantown and the rest of the county's 10 towns, and where to look for help paying for one.
Mid-to-late 20th-century suburban building left Charles County with plenty of split-level, split-entry and two-story single-family homes. A split-level usually has two or three short runs of stairs instead of one long one. Each short, straight run can often take its own straight stair lift, which is usually the simplest install.
Ranch-style homes look like a one-floor solution, but many have a basement stair or a few steps at the entry. Townhouses often have narrow, straight stairs between floors, and those usually suit a straight rail. When a staircase turns at a landing or wraps around a corner, a curved rail built to that stair is needed instead.
Walk-up apartments raise a different issue. Shared stairways usually belong to the building owner, so a renter needs the owner's approval before anything is attached. Countywide, 78.8% of residents are homeowners, so most families can make this decision themselves.
Some homes have steps outside, on a front stoop, a deck or a path down to a lower level. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather. Where steps are not practical for a rail at all, a platform lift can carry a wheelchair user instead, though it needs more space and planning.
Charles County covers 643 square miles, and about 185 of those are water, shaped by the Potomac River and the Zekiah Swamp. Denser suburban areas sit to the north around Waldorf and La Plata, while the south is more rural and close to the water.
That split affects travel time for home-modification crews. Homes near Waldorf can often be scheduled sooner, while places like Cobb Island or Potomac Heights may take more planning. Ask about the visit schedule when you call so the measurement and install dates fit your family's plans.
About 11.9% of Charles County residents are 65 or older, a younger mix than many rural Maryland counties. Families here are often planning ahead rather than reacting to a fall, which leaves time to measure the stairs and compare options.
Veterans with service-connected disabilities should look at the VA grants listed below before paying out of pocket.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in their published materials. Several do cover related work, such as accessibility adaptations, home repairs or safety hazard removal, so it is worth asking each one directly whether a stair lift could qualify in your case.
Keep in mind that the county's median household income is $103,678, among the highest in the nation. Some programs cap income, so a household may not qualify for every option. Charles County Aging & Human Services at 8190 Port Tobacco Road in Port Tobacco, (301) 934-9305, is a good first call, and veterans can reach Veterans Corner at 200 Baltimore Street in La Plata, (301) 645-0550.
Low-interest or deferred loans for low and moderate-income Charles County homeowners to improve basic livability, with roofs, windows and doors given as examples. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the program description; call (301) 934-9305 to ask.
Grant funds for low-income owner-occupied homes in Charles County to install or repair plumbing and water systems. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (301) 934-9305 for details.
The FY2026 county budget sets aside $400,000 of an $811,000 fund for senior services such as Meals-on-Wheels, with a focus on low-income communities in the Waldorf region. Stair lifts and home modifications are not named as funded uses; call (301) 645-0550 to ask.
A statewide Medicaid benefit for people who already have full Medicaid, need an institutional level of care and live in the community, with no age limit. It lists accessibility adaptations, assistive technology and environmental assessments but does not name stair lifts; call (410) 767-1739.
A statewide waiver for adults 18 and older who need nursing-facility level of care and meet income and asset limits, with a waitlist in most cases. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services; call (844) 627-5465.
Loans up to $40,000 at fixed 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, for very-low-income households in eligible rural parts of Charles County. Stair lifts are not named, though grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Ramps and widened doorways are given as examples; stair lifts are not named.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands, and a family member's home may qualify. Stair lifts are not named among covered adaptations.
Up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible or $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans (FY2026) to adapt a family member's home where the veteran is temporarily living. Stair lifts are not named specifically.
Serves people with disabilities in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties with an assistive technology loan library, a portable ramps program, skills training and referrals. Stair lifts are not listed in its loan inventory; call (301) 884-4498.
Maryland's No Wrong Door information and referral service for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers, and the intake point for Community First Choice and the Community Options Waiver. It does not fund stair lifts directly; call (844) 627-5465.
Older adults
8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, 20677
Veterans
200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, 20646
Usually, yes. Split-level and split-entry homes have short stair runs, and each straight run can often take its own straight stair lift. If a run turns at a landing, a curved rail is used instead.
Community First Choice covers accessibility adaptations and assistive technology but does not name stair lifts, and the Community Options Waiver does not list home modifications. Call Maryland Access Point at (844) 627-5465 to ask about your situation.
The USDA Section 504 grant requires age 62 or older, but its loans do not list that age limit. Community First Choice has no age limit, and the Community Options Waiver starts at age 18.
The VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants fund home adaptations for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, though stair lifts are not named in their descriptions. Veterans Corner in La Plata, (301) 645-0550, is a local place to start.
The southern part of the county is more rural and water-adjacent, which can mean longer travel times for installers. Ask about scheduling when you call so the visit can be planned around the drive.
Charles County Aging & Human Services, 8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, at (301) 934-9305. The same number reaches the county's housing loan and grant programs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
