Fillmore County sits in Minnesota's Driftless Area, where the glaciers never reached and the land rolls in hills cut by gullies and drainages. The branches of the Root River come together at Preston, the county seat. Homes are spread across farmsteads and small river towns like Lanesboro, Chatfield, Harmony and Spring Valley instead of being grouped in subdivisions.
That pattern shapes the stairs we see. A farmhouse near Wykoff, a split-level in Rushford or an older home a few blocks from downtown Lanesboro, much of which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will each have a different staircase and a different set of choices. This page walks through what fits, what it can mean for your budget, and who to call in Fillmore County for help paying.
The county slopes east from a high point of 1,378 feet on its western line, and the Root River valleys drop well below that. When a house is built into a slope like this, it often ends up with a walkout basement, a split-level floor plan or a stepped front entry. Those features are where most stair lift questions start.
A split-level home usually has two short flights instead of one long one. Sometimes a straight lift on the flight that matters most solves the problem, and sometimes the layout calls for a curved rail that turns with the stairs. We look at which floor holds the bedroom, bathroom and laundry before recommending anything.
Ranch-style and single-family homes with a basement stairway are often the simplest case. A straight staircase with no landing can take a straight rail, which is the most common and usually the quickest kind to install.
Stairs with a landing, a turn or a winder step need a curved lift, built to the shape of that specific staircase. Many older town homes and farmhouses fall into this group, so measuring carefully matters more than picking a model off a list.
Stepped entries outside the door can be handled with an outdoor lift rated for weather, and a platform lift is an option when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the building owner has to approve any installation, so that conversation should happen first.
About 22.8% of Fillmore County residents are 65 or older, and 80.5% of households own their homes. That is a lot of people who want to stay in a house they already own, often one with stairs between them and a bedroom or bathroom.
If that includes someone in your family, Fillmore County Veteran Services in Preston can explain which VA benefits may apply, at (507) 765-4937.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts specifically in the sources we reviewed, and one VA grant excludes them outright. Several do cover home modifications or accessibility improvements in general, so it is worth asking each one directly before you buy.
For older adults, the usual first call is the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 about the Minnesota Elderly Waiver, or the Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging at (507) 288-6944. Homeowners who would rather borrow can look at the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan, whose Accessibility loan option has no income limit, or the deferred Rehabilitation Loan Program for lower-income households.
Under 65 with a disability? Disability Hub MN at (866) 333-2466 can explain the CADI, CAC, BI and DD waivers. Veterans should start with Fillmore County Veteran Services in Preston.
A Medicaid waiver for Minnesotans 65 and older who need a nursing facility level of care, with a 2026 single-applicant income limit of $2,982 a month and asset limit of $3,000. Home modifications are a named benefit, but stair lifts are not listed, so confirm through the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433.
Medicaid waiver plans for Minnesotans of any age with a qualifying disability. The source reviewed does not mention home modifications or stair lifts, so call Disability Hub MN at (866) 333-2466 to ask what a given plan will fund.
The regional information, referral and case-coordination hub for older adults in Fillmore County and 10 other southeastern Minnesota counties; it is not a direct cash grant. Stair lifts are not listed, but staff at (507) 288-6944 can connect you with current home-modification resources.
Offers free device demonstrations, free short-term equipment loans for trials up to 30 days, and assessments for a fee; it does not fund stair lift purchase or installation. Call (507) 285-3917 to ask about other services or home-modification referrals.
A statewide loan of $2,000 to $75,000 for homeowner-occupants, with fixed rates, 1-20 year terms and no prepayment penalty, offered through participating lenders. Accessibility improvements are an eligible use and the Accessibility loan option has no income limit, though stair lifts are not named; Minnesota Housing's general line is (651) 296-7608.
A loan of up to $37,500 for low-income homeowner-occupants with household assets of $25,000 or less, forgiven if you keep living in the home through the loan term. The ELP branch covers accessibility needs for a household resident with a disability, though stair lifts are not named; Minnesota Housing's general line is (651) 296-8215.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime for medically necessary home alterations, depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, which the VA lists as excluded removable equipment; Fillmore County Veteran Services at (507) 765-4937 can help with other VA options.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The source gives ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not mention stair lifts, so ask Fillmore County Veteran Services at (507) 765-4937 before planning around it.
Older adults
2720 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 300, Rochester, 55901
Veterans
902 Houston St NW, Suite 4, Preston, 55965
We do not have Medicare coverage information to share here. The Elderly Waiver lists home modifications as a covered benefit but does not name stair lifts, and waitlists can apply, so call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 to check before you commit.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way. Fillmore County Veteran Services at 902 Houston St NW, Suite 4 in Preston, (507) 765-4937, can review what you may qualify for.
The Elderly Waiver starts at age 65, but the CADI, CAC, BI and DD disability waivers are open to Minnesotans of any age who qualify. Disability Hub MN at (866) 333-2466 is the place to start.
Possibly. The Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan has an Accessibility option with no income limit, lending $2,000 to $75,000 through participating lenders. A minimum credit score is required.
Not always. It depends on which levels hold the rooms you use every day and how the flights connect. A measurement visit tells us whether one straight lift, a curved lift or two lifts makes sense.
The Southeastern Minnesota AAA is at 2720 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 300, Rochester 55901, and serves Fillmore County. Their phone is (507) 288-6944.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
