Worcester County covers 1,579 square miles and 69 towns, from Worcester, Shrewsbury and Milford to Gardner, Athol and Winchendon. In the city, a lot of families live in 19th- and early 20th-century triple-decker homes and Victorian-era mill-district housing. Those buildings put stairs between every floor and every unit.
Add the Seven Hills, steep streets and about 64 inches of snow a season, and getting from the sidewalk to the bedroom can become the hardest part of staying home. This page walks through how local houses shape the choice of stair lift and which programs may help cover the cost.
A triple-decker usually has long interior stair runs connecting separate units, and many have landings or turns along the way. A straight stair lift works on an uninterrupted run. Where the stair turns at a landing, a curved lift follows the rail around the corner so the rider never has to stand up mid-trip.
Across the rest of the county you'll also find single-family homes, townhouses, row houses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Split-levels often have several short flights rather than one long one, so we look at which flight the person actually uses every day before recommending anything.
In a walk-up or a multi-family building, the owner's permission matters for any lift on a shared stair. If you own the building and rent units, see the landlord option under the Home Modification Loan Program below.
The City of Worcester sits at an elevation of 479 feet on hilly ground historically known as the Seven Hills, including Airport, Bancroft, Belmont, Grafton, Green, Pakachoag and Vernon Hills. Homes on these grades often have a set of exterior steps up from the street before you even reach the front door.
Those outside steps are where an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can earn its keep. With roughly 64 inches of snowfall a season, icy entry steps are a real hazard, and equipment used outside has to be built for weather. We'll check both the inside stairs and the way in from the driveway or sidewalk.
About 16.5% of the county's 885,505 residents are 65 or older, and 66.2% of households own their home. Owning matters here, because several of the funding programs below are open only to owners who live in the house.
If someone in your family served, the Veterans' Services office at City Hall Room 101, 455 Main Street in Worcester can be reached at (508) 799-1041 to talk through VA housing grants.
The countywide median household income was $65,772, but it ranges widely, from roughly $36,711 in Winchendon to $142,520 in Southborough. That's why it helps to know the full menu of programs before deciding how to pay.
The clearest fit is the state Home Modification Loan Program, which lists ramps and lifts as eligible and offers 0% deferred loans. Lower-income households may also look at the USDA Section 504 program in rural towns, Worcester's Housing Now grant inside the city, or the MassHealth Frail Elder Waiver for people who need a nursing-home level of care. The Massachusetts Assistive Technology Loan Program (Easterseals MA) is another statewide option to ask about.
Each program is described below. Not every one names stair lifts, so call and ask before you count on it.
Two Aging Services Access Points serve the county. Elder Services of Worcester Area (ESWA) is at 67 Millbrook Street, Suite 100, Worcester 01606, phone (508) 756-1545. It offers case management, assessments and referrals to programs such as FEW and HMLP.
Senior Connection serves 61 municipalities across North Central, Central and South Central Worcester County, including Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Southbridge, Webster, Milford, Grafton, Holden and Auburn. Reach them at (508) 852-5539.
A statewide 0% interest loan of $1,000 to $50,000 (up to $30,000 for manufactured or mobile homes) that isn't repaid until the home is sold or transferred, and stair lifts are an eligible use. Landlords with fewer than 10 units may qualify for a 3% loan for tenant modifications; call (866) 500-5599.
A MassHealth program for people 65 and older, or 60 to 64 with a disability, who need a nursing facility level of care; home modifications can be part of the care plan, though the source lists ramps, grab bars and doorway widening and does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 243-4636.
A grant for owner-occupied 1-4 unit properties in the City of Worcester with low-to-moderate household income, covering major systems, code compliance or accessibility features; stair lifts are not named on the program page. Call (508) 799-1400.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older in USDA-eligible rural areas, which covers most towns outside the City of Worcester, with household income at or below 50% of area median. Repair examples listed are ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs; stair lifts are not mentioned, so confirm your address on USDA's rural eligibility map.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for veterans enrolled in VA health care, depending on disability status. It does not pay for stair lifts: the VA excludes porch lifts and stair glides.
A grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The source mentions ramps and widened doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
A grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with severe permanent service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both legs. The source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
The Aging Services Access Point for the City of Worcester and surrounding towns, offering case management, functional assessments and referrals to FEW and HMLP; it has no direct stair lift grant. Call (508) 756-1545.
Case management and referrals for older adults in 61 Central Massachusetts municipalities; no home-modification grant is listed. Call (508) 852-5539.
Older adults
67 Millbrook Street, Suite 100, Worcester, 01606
Veterans
City Hall Room 101 455 Main Street, Worcester, 01608
Yes. HMLP lists ramps and lifts as eligible, and a regional program page confirms stair lifts are an approved use. Loans run from $1,000 to $50,000 at 0% interest and are repaid when the property is sold or transferred. Call (866) 500-5599.
Landlords with fewer than 10 units may qualify for an HMLP loan at 3% interest for tenant modifications. On a shared stair, plan the layout so the other units can still use the stairs.
The HISA grant does not, since it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SHA and SAH grants don't mention stair lifts in their sources, so ask directly. Worcester Veterans' Services is at (508) 799-1041.
Most towns outside the city fall in USDA-eligible rural areas, where the Section 504 program offers repair loans and, for owners 62 and older, grants. Check your exact address on USDA's rural eligibility map, and call Senior Connection at (508) 852-5539 for local referrals.
The MassHealth Frail Elder Waiver accepts people 60 to 64 with a disability. HMLP is open to households with an older adult or a person with a disability.
Usually, yes. With about 64 inches of snow a season and steep entries on Worcester's hills, exterior steps call for an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift built for weather.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
