Dakota County grew fast after World War II. Villages became cities within about 20 years, and today Lakeville, Eagan, Burnsville and Apple Valley are the largest of its 16 towns. Much of that growth came as split-level and two-story single-family homes, the kind of house where the bedrooms, laundry or family room sit up or down a short flight of stairs.
That layout works well for a young family and gets harder as knees and balance change. A stair lift is one way to keep using the whole house. This page walks through how the homes and terrain here affect the choice of lift, and which county, state and federal programs are worth a phone call before you pay.
In a split-level, there are often two short flights instead of one long one. Each flight may need its own lift, or a curved rail if the run turns at a landing. We measure every step and landing before recommending either setup.
Two-story homes from the same era usually have a single straight staircase. A straight stair lift is the simplest install and mounts to the treads, not the wall. If the stairs turn or have a landing partway up, a curved rail is built to fit that specific staircase.
Townhouses in places like Eagan, Burnsville and Inver Grove Heights often stack living space over several levels with narrow stairways. Stair width and where the lift parks at the top and bottom matter more here than in a larger house.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings raise a different question: who owns the stairs. Shared stairways usually need the owner or association to agree before anything is installed. Inside a private unit, the decision is usually up to the resident.
Dakota County covers 587 square miles of low rolling hills that slope toward the Minnesota and Mississippi River valleys. Homes built on a slope often have steps up to the front door or down to a walkout, in addition to the stairs inside.
Winter weather adds to fall risk on those outside steps. Outdoor stair lifts and vertical platform lifts are options for entry steps, and they are built for weather exposure. It is worth looking at the path from the driveway to the door, not only the stairs inside.
About 15.2% of the county's 424,752 residents are 65 or older, and 75.3% of households own their home. Owners can generally install a lift without asking permission, and many of these homes were bought decades ago and are now paid down.
Dakota County Veterans Services in West St. Paul, at (651) 554-5601, can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply before spending on home changes.
Only two programs below list home modification as a covered category: the Minnesota Elderly Waiver and Trellis home modification funding through the Older Americans Act. Neither names stair lifts by item, so confirm with your case manager before ordering. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
For homeowners who do not qualify for waivers, the Dakota County CDA Home Improvement Loan and the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan's Accessibility Loan are worth asking about. Their sources name ramps and other accessibility work but do not list stair lifts, so ask the lender or agency directly whether a lift qualifies.
A Medical Assistance waiver for Minnesotans 65 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care; home modifications are a covered category, funded through the person's service plan, with a 2026 income limit of $2,982 a month for a single applicant and an asset limit of $3,000. Apply through Dakota County Senior Services intake and a MnCHOICES assessment, or call (800) 333-2433.
A Medical Assistance waiver for Minnesota residents under 65 with a disability who need a hospital or nursing-facility level of care. The county source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call Dakota County Community Living Services at (651) 554-6336 to ask.
The county intake point for the CADI, CAC, DD and CFSS programs, which requires Medical Assistance eligibility, a Certification of Disability and a MnCHOICES assessment. It does not list stair lifts and is not a direct funding source; call (651) 554-6336.
A 0% interest loan of $15,000 to $35,000 with no monthly payments until the home is sold, refinanced or the owner moves, for homeowners under income limits such as $73,650 for one person and $105,200 for four. Ramps and bathroom or kitchen accessibility work are named, but stair lifts are not listed; call (651) 675-4462.
A fixed-rate loan of $2,000 to $75,000 with terms of 1 to 20 years for owner-occupants of 1-4 unit homes, with no income limits when the work is for a household member with a disability. Stair lifts are not listed among eligible improvements; apply through a participating Minnesota Housing lender.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-designated rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 and older. Stair lifts are not listed, and most of Dakota County's cities are likely ineligible, though some outlying rural townships in the south and east may qualify.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities, for structural changes like ramping and roll-in showers. Stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded; apply through Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed among covered items; Dakota County Veterans Services at (651) 554-5601 can help with the application.
Older Americans Act funding for adults 60 and older in the 7-county metro, where home modification is an eligible category; money goes to provider agencies rather than directly to residents. Call (651) 641-8612 to find which local provider handles home modifications.
A Rosemount office offering Energy Assistance, Food Shelf, Senior Meals on Wheels and Chore services. No stair lift or home modification program is listed, but it can be a referral point at (651) 322-3500.
Older adults
2365 N. McKnight Rd., Suite 3, North St. Paul, 55109
Veterans
1 Mendota Road West, Suite 420, West St. Paul, 55118
Possibly, through the Elderly Waiver for people 65 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care. Home modifications are a covered category, though stair lifts are not named by item, and there can be a waitlist. Start with Dakota County Senior Services intake or call (800) 333-2433.
The CADI Waiver serves Minnesotans under 65 with a disability, but its county source does not list stair lifts. Call Dakota County Community Living Services at (651) 554-6336. The Minnesota Housing Accessibility Loan has no income limit when the work is for a household member with a disability.
The HISA grant does not; it specifically excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either. Dakota County Veterans Services at (651) 554-5601 can review what a veteran may qualify for.
Often, yes, or a curved rail if the stairs connect at a landing in a way one rail can follow. We measure each flight and landing before recommending either option.
Probably not. USDA Section 504 is limited to designated rural areas, and most of Dakota County's incorporated cities are likely ineligible. Some outlying rural townships may qualify, so check your specific address on the USDA eligibility map.
Trellis, the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging, at (651) 641-8612. It funds home modification through local provider agencies for adults 60 and older and can point you to the right one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
