From the neighborhoods of Sauk Rapids near St. Cloud to the county seat of Foley and the smaller towns of Rice and Gilman, Benton County is full of older one- and two-story houses where a staircase is the only way to reach the bedrooms or the basement. Many of those homes went up before anyone talked about universal design, so the stairs were never planned with aging in mind.
This page walks through how the homes and weather here shape the kind of stair lift that makes sense, and which state, county, veteran and loan programs might help cover the cost. Phone numbers for each office are listed so you can make the first calls yourself.
Benton County had 17,315 housing units as of 2020 Census data, and 66.7% of them were owner-occupied. Most are single-family homes and detached houses, with a good share of split-level homes and ranch-style homes, plus some low-rise buildings.
A straight staircase in a two-story house is usually the simplest job. A straight rail runs from the bottom step to the top, and the chair folds up out of the way when nobody is using it.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights that turn or stop at a landing, which can mean a curved rail built to the exact shape of your stairs, or more than one straight lift. We measure every step before recommending either.
January lows here average around 2 degrees F, and the county once hit -43 degrees F in January 1977. Ice on porch and entry steps is a real fall risk, not just the indoor stairs.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can carry someone up front or back steps to the door. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift is often the better fit at an entrance, since the person stays seated in their own chair.
The low rolling hills that slope toward the south and east also mean some homes sit above or below the driveway grade. That can add steps at the entry that are worth looking at during the same visit.
About 55% of residents live in urban areas around Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud, and 45% live in rural settings. If you are out past Foley, Rice or Gilman, distance to contractors and services is part of the picture.
That is one more reason to have the stairs measured once and correctly. A good fit the first time means fewer trips and less waiting for parts on a curved rail.
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver and CADI Waiver are the clearest routes, since both fund environmental accessibility adaptations, and stair lifts are listed among them. Both run through Benton County and require Medical Assistance enrollment and a nursing-facility level of care. The Elderly Waiver has limited slots and can have a waitlist.
If waivers do not apply, Minnesota Housing loans are worth a look. The Fix Up Loan's accessibility version has no income cap, and the Rehabilitation Loan Program has an Emergency & Accessibility Loan for very low-income homeowners with a disabled household member. Neither source names stair lifts specifically, so ask before you apply.
Be aware that the VA HISA grant specifically will not pay for stair glides. The Benton County Veterans Service Office at 531 Dewey Street in Foley, (320) 968-5044, can help sort out what else may apply.
A Medicaid waiver for Minnesota residents 65 and older who are on Medical Assistance and need nursing-facility level of care; stair lifts are listed as a covered adaptation, and the 2026 limits are $2,982/month income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant. Call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 or apply through Benton County's Long-Term Care Consultation team.
A Medicaid waiver for Minnesota residents under 65 with a disability who need nursing-facility level of care; stair lifts are covered as an environmental accessibility adaptation under the person's service plan. Call Benton County at (320) 968-5000.
The county office that handles case management and access to waivers like Elderly Waiver, Alternative Care and CADI; it is a referral point, and its page does not list stair lifts. Call (320) 968-5000.
The Area Agency on Aging for 14 central Minnesota counties, including Benton, serving older adults and their families; its page does not mention stair lift or home modification help. Call (320) 253-9349.
A Sauk Rapids-based center for independent living whose accessibility projects may include lifts, ramps and grab bars, though stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (320) 529-9000.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes, depending on disability status; stair glides are on its list of items it will not fund.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, used for large-scale adaptations like ramps and widened doorways; stair lifts are not named among covered items.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not named among covered items.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $7,500 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 or older removing a health or safety hazard; stair lifts are not explicitly named.
Loans from $2,000 to $75,000 through participating Minnesota Housing lenders, with accessibility improvements as an eligible use and no income cap on the accessibility version; stair lifts are not individually listed.
A zero-interest deferred loan of up to $37,500 for very low-income homeowners with assets under $25,000, with an accessibility variant for a household member with a disability; stair lifts are not individually listed. Call (320) 259-0393.
Older adults
600 25th Ave. South, Suite 108, St. Cloud, 56301
Veterans
531 Dewey Street, Foley, 56329
The CADI Waiver serves Minnesota residents under 65 with a disability who are on Medical Assistance and need nursing-facility level of care, and stair lifts are a covered adaptation. Benton County administers it locally at (320) 968-5000.
Not through the HISA grant, which lists stair glides among items it will not fund. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call the Benton County Veterans Service Office at (320) 968-5044 to talk through your situation.
For 2026, the limit is $2,982 per month in income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant. You also need to be 65 or older, on Medical Assistance, and assessed as needing nursing-facility level of care.
They might, if your address is in a USDA-eligible rural area and you meet the very-low-income rules. Grants of up to $7,500 require the homeowner to be 62 or older, and eligibility for a specific address has to be checked with USDA's address tool.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for weather, which matters when January lows here average around 2 degrees F. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift at the entrance is often the better choice.
The Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan's accessibility improvements version has no income cap, with loans from $2,000 to $75,000. Stair lifts are not itemized, so confirm with a participating lender before applying.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
