From Cloquet and Esko out to Moose Lake, Barnum and Cromwell, Carlton County spreads across wooded hills that slope down toward the Saint Louis, Moose Horn and Nemadji Rivers. The average home here was built in 1978, before modern accessibility design, so plenty of houses have basement stairs, split-level layouts and entry steps that get harder to manage over time.
This page walks through what those homes usually need in a stair lift and which programs may help pay for one. It covers all 9 towns in the county, including Scanlon, Carlton, Wrenshall and Mahtowa.
Most of the county's housing is single-family homes, along with split-level homes, ranch-style homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments. A straight staircase, common in many ranch-style basements and townhouses, is usually the simplest and quickest install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have several short flights instead of one long run, so each flight may need its own lift, or a curved rail may be the better fit if the stairs turn. We measure every flight and landing before recommending anything.
Walk-up apartments raise a separate question. A stair lift in a shared stairway needs the building owner's approval, so that conversation should happen first.
Low rolling hills mean many homes sit on sloped lots, with exterior steps up to the front door or down to a walkout basement. An outdoor stair lift, built to handle weather, can cover those steps. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift may make more sense than a seat on a rail.
About 63.5% of county residents lived in rural areas at the 2020 Census. Longer drives to medical providers and contractors are part of life here, which makes it worth planning a lift before a fall or hospital stay forces a rushed decision.
Roughly 18.4% of residents are 65 or older, and 68.6% of households own their homes. About 36% of homeowners own free and clear, which points to people who have lived in the same house a long time and want to stay there.
If that includes someone in your family, Carlton County Veterans Services in Cloquet at (218) 499-6838 is the right first call, though note that some VA grants exclude stair glides.
Two Minnesota waiver programs list home modifications as a covered benefit: the Elderly Waiver for people 65 and older, and the CADI Waiver for people with disabilities who enroll before age 65. Both run through Medical Assistance and a MnCHOICES assessment, which Carlton County residents start through Carlton County Public Health & Human Services.
Other programs help with accessibility or home repair but do not name stair lifts in their materials. These include USDA rural repair loans and grants, the Lakes and Pines Community Action Council rehabilitation loan, and local nonprofits. Call each one and ask directly whether a stair lift qualifies.
Minnesota also offers the Alternative Care (AC) Program and the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan) statewide. The programs list below has the details and phone numbers we could confirm.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who qualify for Medical Assistance and need nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home; home modifications are a covered benefit, and the 2026 income cap is $2,982/month with a $3,000 asset limit for a single applicant. Call (800) 333-2433 or apply through Carlton County Public Health & Human Services.
A Medicaid waiver for people with a qualifying disability who enroll before age 65; it covers Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, a home modification benefit, up to a maximum of $80,000 across two years with a DHS exception. Apply through the county lead agency.
Federal 1% loans and, for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income owners in eligible rural areas; grants can be used to make a home accessible, but stair lifts are not named. Check your address on the USDA eligibility map.
A lifetime VA grant of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes, but it explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover a stair lift. Call Carlton County Veterans Services at (218) 499-6838.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities; the source mentions ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (218) 499-6838 to ask about your situation.
A 0% deferred loan, forgiven after a 15-year term if you stay in the home, for owners with income from $27,700/year for one person and assets under $25,000; it can include handicap accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named. Call (320) 679-1800.
The Duluth-based agency on aging for adults 60 and older in Carlton County, offering information, referral and case management; home modification funding is not listed. Call (218) 722-5545 to ask what is available.
A nonprofit independent living center serving Carlton County, with a Ramp Project and home adaptation resources; stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 390-3681.
A nonprofit serving low-income homeowners in Carlton, Lake and South St. Louis Counties, with an Age in Place program; stair lifts are not listed. Call (218) 576-9360 to ask about current scope.
Older adults
424 W. Superior Street, Suite 507, Duluth, 55802
Veterans
14 N 11th Street, Suite 120, Cloquet, 55720
Our sources do not address Medicare. On the Medicaid side, the Minnesota Elderly Waiver and the CADI Waiver both list home modifications as a covered benefit for people who qualify, starting with a MnCHOICES assessment through the county.
Yes, possibly. The CADI Waiver is for people with a qualifying disability who first enroll before age 65, and the Lakes and Pines rehabilitation loan is open to homeowners 18 and older who meet income and asset limits.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way. Carlton County Veterans Services at (218) 499-6838 can review your options.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have more than one short flight, so you may need a lift on each flight or a curved rail if the stairs turn. A measurement visit settles which one fits.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift is an option if a wheelchair is involved. Rural homes across the county can be served; plan ahead since travel distances are longer here.
For someone 60 or older, the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging at (218) 722-5545 can point you to services. For the Elderly Waiver, call (800) 333-2433 or contact Carlton County Public Health & Human Services.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
