Hennepin County runs from the older neighborhoods of Minneapolis out through Bloomington, Edina and Eden Prairie to lake towns like Wayzata, Mound and Orono. Across 42 towns, a lot of houses were built with stairs between every living level, from city homes to the split-levels of the suburban boom.
This page covers how those homes and the county's hills and lakes shape which stair lift makes sense. It also lists the Minnesota and county programs that may help with the cost, and who to call for each one.
Minneapolis and the inner-ring suburbs have a large share of older urban housing. Many of these houses keep bedrooms and the only full bath upstairs, so one straight flight becomes a daily barrier. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest fix for that kind of staircase.
Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie and Minnetonka grew fast in the post-1950s and 60s boom, when housing developments replaced much of the open farmland. Split-level and two-story homes from that era often have short runs between several levels, or a landing that turns. Those layouts can call for a curved rail built to fit, or more than one lift.
Not everyone in the county lives in a detached house. Townhouses and row houses often stack living space over two or three floors with narrow stairways, so we measure width and clearance at the top and bottom before recommending a model.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings raise a different question: who owns the stairs. About 63.8% of county households own their homes, and renters in shared buildings will need the owner's approval before anything is installed.
The county has woods, hills and lakes, including Lake Minnetonka, plus the Mississippi River and Saint Anthony Falls next to downtown Minneapolis. Homes on sloped lots often have steps up to the front door or down to a walkout level. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle entry steps where a ramp would be too long.
Snow and ice make outside steps harder for months each year. For many families, moving the risky part of the day indoors with a lift on the main staircase is the first step toward fewer falls.
Hennepin County's Age-Friendly County initiative projects the 65-and-older population will grow 78% between 2015 and 2050, compared with 28% for the county overall.
That initiative names affordable, appropriate housing and staying mobile and connected as priorities. For many families here, that means adapting the house they already have instead of moving.
The one program here that names stair lifts outright is Minnesota's Medicaid HCBS waivers, through Environmental Accessibility Adaptations. If your parent is already on the Elderly Waiver, CADI or another listed waiver, start with their case manager.
Homeowners not on a waiver can look at loans. The Hennepin County Home Repair and Maintenance Loan and the Minnesota Housing loans list accessibility improvements as eligible but do not name stair lifts, so ask the program directly before you apply.
Veterans should know the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides. The Hennepin County Veterans Service Office at (612) 348-3300 can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
For people enrolled in the Elderly Waiver, CADI, Brain Injury, CAC or DD waiver, this benefit lists stair lifts among covered home modifications, with cost set through the care plan and case manager approval. ConnectAbility of MN can be reached at (320) 253-0765.
A zero percent loan of up to $30,000 with no monthly payments, forgiven if you keep living in and owning the home, for owner-occupants within income limits ($72,950 for one person up to $137,550 for eight). Accessibility improvements are eligible, but stair lifts are not named; call (612) 543-4182.
A deferred, forgivable loan of up to $37,500 for very-low-to-low income homeowners, with an Emergency and Accessibility option for a household member with a disability. The source does not name stair lifts; call (651) 296-8215.
Fixed-rate loans from $2,000 to $75,000 over 1 to 20 years through a participating private lender, and the Accessibility Loan option has no income limit. Stair lifts are not named specifically; Minnesota Housing is at (651) 296-8215.
A lifetime grant of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home changes prescribed by a VA physician. It does not cover stair lifts, since it excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
A free information and referral service for older adults and caregivers in the Twin Cities metro, not a direct funding source, and it does not list stair lift funding. Call (651) 641-8612.
A free statewide information, benefits counseling and referral service for Minnesotans with disabilities and their families. It does not itemize a stair lift grant; call (866) 333-2466.
Older adults
2365 N. McKnight Rd., Suite 3, North St. Paul, 55109
Veterans
300 South Sixth Street, Suite A‑025, Minneapolis, 55487
It can for people enrolled in a Minnesota HCBS waiver such as the Elderly Waiver or CADI. Stair lifts are listed among home accessibility modifications, and the case manager approves the project through the care plan and budget.
Usually, yes. Split-levels often have short flights between levels, so the answer may be a curved rail or more than one straight lift, depending on how the stairs connect. We measure each run before quoting.
The program lists accessibility improvements as an eligible repair but does not name stair lifts. Call (612) 543-4182 to ask whether your project qualifies before you apply.
The Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan has an Accessibility Loan option with no income limit. It is a loan of $2,000 to $75,000 through a participating private lender, not a grant.
No. HISA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The Hennepin County Veterans Service Office at (612) 348-3300 can help check other VA benefits.
Trellis and the Senior LinkAge Line at (651) 641-8612 offer information and referrals for older adults and family caregivers. Disability Hub MN at (866) 333-2466 helps with disability benefits and waivers.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
