Blue Earth was platted in 1856, and the county seat still shows it: the 1892 Faribault County Courthouse, built with stone hauled from Kasota, and the 1897 First Presbyterian Church sit among houses from the same long stretch of history. Out past town, multi-story farmhouses dot the rolling farmland that runs south to the Iowa border.
Most of those homes, in Wells, Winnebago, Minnesota Lake, Kiester, Elmore, Bricelyn, Frost and Blue Earth, were built before anyone designed for accessibility. That usually means a full staircase to the bedrooms and a few steps at the door. This page explains what that means for a stair lift and where county residents can look for help paying for one.
Much of the county's housing predates modern accessible-design standards. In single-family homes and detached houses, the bedrooms and only full bathroom are often upstairs, so the staircase becomes the daily obstacle.
A straight staircase with no turns or landings is the simplest case and usually takes a straight rail. Older homes sometimes have a turn, a landing partway up, or narrow winder steps at the top. Those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
The county covers 722 square miles of rolling hills devoted to agriculture, with the Kiester Moraine rising in the southeast near Kiester. It is classified 100% rural, with 11 incorporated cities and 20 townships spread across that ground.
Multi-story farmhouses often have a long interior staircase plus outside steps up to a porch or side door. An outdoor lift built for weather exposure can handle the entry steps, while an indoor lift handles the second floor. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a few steps, a platform lift may fit better than a seat.
Because towns and farmsteads are far apart, plan the in-home measurement early. Getting the stairs measured once, correctly, saves another long drive and another wait.
About 22.6% of residents are 65 or older, and 72.4% own their homes. For many families that means a parent in a house they own, with no plan to move, and a staircase that is getting harder every year.
Faribault County Veterans Services is at 435 S. Grove St., Suite 1A, in Blue Earth, phone (507) 526-6268, and can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply.
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver is the one program in this list that names home modifications as a covered service. It is for people 65 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, and it has income and asset limits. Enrollment is not guaranteed, and applications can take 3 or more months.
For people under 65 on a disability waiver such as CADI, BI, CAC or DD, the environmental accessibility adaptations benefit is the place to ask, through the waiver case manager. Homeowners with low to moderate income can also look at state rehab loans and USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants.
If you are not sure where to start, call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433. Be aware that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so veterans should ask about other options.
Minnesota's main Medicaid waiver for adults 65+ who need nursing-facility level care but want to stay home; home modifications are a listed covered service, and the 2026 income limit is $2,982 a month for a single applicant with a $3,000 asset limit. Call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 to start.
The regional aging agency serving Faribault County, offering information and care coordination rather than cash grants; its sources do not list stair lifts or a home modification grant. Call (507) 387-1256 to ask about referrals for home modification funding.
A free statewide line for seniors and caregivers that routes callers to programs like home care, chore services and financial help; it does not list stair lifts itself. Call (800) 333-2433, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
A state loan of up to $37,500 for low-to-moderate income homeowners with assets under $25,000, available for accessibility needs of a household resident with a disability; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (651) 296-8215.
A home modification service for Minnesotans on a disability waiver, usually those under 65; stair lifts are not named in the source, so ask your waiver case manager. Call (866) 333-2466.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for permanent changes like ramps and accessible bathrooms; it does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are excluded. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home; stair lifts are not named among the examples. Call (800) 827-1000.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% for up to 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very low income homeowners 62 or older, in eligible rural areas; the source does not say if stair lifts qualify. Call (651) 602-7800 to check your address and ask.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in Faribault and eight nearby counties, with assistive technology assessments, an equipment lending library and custom ramps; no stair lift program is listed. Call (888) 676-6498 to ask if they can help.
The regional community action agency, offering weatherization, energy-related repairs and home improvement loans to low-income households; accessibility work is not named. The Faribault County office is open Wednesdays at (507) 526-5291.
Older adults
10 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 3, Mankato, 56001
Veterans
435 S. Grove St., Suite 1A, Blue Earth, 56013
Home modifications are a listed covered service under the Elderly Waiver. The person must be 65 or older, need a nursing-facility level of care, and meet income and asset limits. Slots are limited, so call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 early.
If the person is on a CADI, BI, CAC or DD disability waiver, ask the case manager about environmental accessibility adaptations. The Disability Hub line is (866) 333-2466.
No. HISA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. A veteran can call Faribault County Veterans Services in Blue Earth at (507) 526-6268 to ask about other VA benefits, such as the SAH and SHA grants.
The county is classified 100% rural, so farmsteads and small towns generally fall in USDA-eligible areas. USDA should verify your address. Section 504 repair loans and grants have income and age rules; call (651) 602-7800.
Usually not. Outside steps need an outdoor-rated lift, and the inside staircase needs its own rail, straight or curved depending on the stairs. Many farmhouses end up with one of each.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
