Marshall County sits in the far northwest corner of Minnesota, with the Red River along its western edge and North Dakota on the other bank. Across its eight towns, from Warren and Stephen to Newfolden, Oslo, Middle River and Grygla, most people live in single-family houses set among farm fields and low rolling hills.
Many of those houses have a basement stairway, a split-level layout or a few steps up to the porch. This page walks through how those homes affect the kind of stair lift that fits, and which county, regional, state and VA programs may help cover the cost.
Warren, the county seat, is a small rail town laid out on a grid along the BNSF railroad. Its housing stock skews older and single-family, which is typical of a farm county seat. Older single-family homes often have one straight staircase to a second floor or basement, and a straight stair lift is usually the simplest and least costly fit for that.
Stairs with a landing, a turn partway up or a narrow stairwell call for a curved lift built to the shape of that staircase. We measure the stairs in person before recommending either type, because the layout of the stairway decides the answer.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. Someone who needs to reach both the upper and lower levels may need a lift on each short flight, so it helps to decide which rooms matter most day to day.
Ranch-style homes keep the main living space on one floor, but the laundry or a family room is often down in the basement. A lift on the basement stairs can keep that space in use. In walk-up apartments, a renter will need the building owner's approval before any lift goes on a shared stairway.
Across the county's farmland, between the Snake, Tamarac and Middle rivers, many houses sit up off the ground with steps to the front or back door. An outdoor stair lift is built for those exterior steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the entry may work better than a seat-style lift.
Since most homes here are spread out and far from town, we look at where the car parks, which door gets used most and how the path to it lies before suggesting a lift for the outside.
About 18.6% of residents are 65 or older, and 76.8% of households own their home. That combination means many people here are deciding how to keep living in a house they already own as stairs get harder.
If that includes you or a parent, the VA grants and the county Veteran Service Officer listed below are worth a call before you pay out of pocket.
The local program that names home modification directly is Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging's Senior Housing & Home Modification service, which serves Marshall County. Call them first to ask whether a stair lift qualifies and whether funding is available right now.
Homeowners who need to finance the work can look at the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan Program's Accessibility Loan option, which has no income limit. Veterans can contact the Marshall County Veteran Service Officer in Warren at (218) 745-4303 about the VA housing grants. For general aging services, the Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) in Oklee can be reached at (218) 281-8288.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) for veterans or service members with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own their home; it covers home modifications such as ramps and wider doorways, but the source does not mention stair lifts. The Marshall County Veteran Service Officer at (218) 745-4303 can help with an application.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 cap), with a Temporary Residence Adaptation variant up to $9,100 for a family member's home, for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. It covers structural home modifications generally; the source does not mention stair lifts.
A state Medicaid waiver for Minnesotans 65 and older who need nursing-facility level of care and meet Medical Assistance income and asset rules; it lists environmental accessibility and adaptations as a covered service. The source does not mention stair lifts by name.
A regional aging program that serves older adults in 21 counties, including Marshall County, and lists home modification among its funded services; it is listed as covering stair lifts, though you should confirm a specific installation qualifies. Call Heather Pender at (218) 745-9130 to ask about current funding.
A state home-improvement loan of $2,000 to $75,000 with 1 to 20 year fixed-rate terms and no down payment; the Accessibility option has no income limit and covers accessibility improvements, though the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (651) 296-8215 or 800-710-8871.
A non-profit center for independent living serving people with disabilities in Northwest Minnesota and Northeast North Dakota, including Marshall County. The source does not mention stair lifts; call (218) 773-6100 to ask what help is available.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
208 E Colvin Ave, Suite 19, Warren, 56762
Yes. Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging serves Marshall County and lists Senior Housing & Home Modification among its funded services. Call (218) 745-9130 to ask whether your stair lift qualifies and whether funds are available.
No. The Accessibility Loan option of the Fix Up Loan Program has no income limit. Loans run from $2,000 to $75,000 with 1 to 20 year fixed-rate terms, and this is a loan that must be repaid, not a grant.
The Marshall County Veteran Service Officer is at 208 E Colvin Ave, Suite 19, in Warren, and the phone is (218) 745-4303. The SAH and SHA grants cover home modifications for qualifying service-connected disabilities, though the source does not name stair lifts.
The Elderly Waiver covers environmental accessibility and adaptations for people 65 and older who need nursing-facility level of care and meet Medical Assistance rules. The program text does not mention stair lifts by name, so ask about your situation when you apply.
Often, yes, if the person needs to reach both the upper and lower levels. Each short flight usually gets its own lift, so we start by asking which rooms are used most.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a vertical platform lift is another option at the entry for someone who uses a wheelchair. We look at the steps and the path to the door before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
