From Glenwood on the northeastern shore of Lake Minnewaska to Starbuck, Lowry, Cyrus, Long Beach and Villard, Pope County is a place of lake homes, farmhouses and small-town streets. Many of these houses were built with a basement stairway, a second floor, or a few steps up from the yard, and those steps get harder to manage over time.
A stair lift lets someone keep using the whole house instead of moving everything to one floor. This page walks through how the homes and the land here shape the kind of lift that fits, and which programs in Minnesota may help cover the cost.
Most homes here are owner-occupied single-family houses, which makes installation simpler. The owner can approve mounting a rail to the stair treads without waiting on a landlord.
Ranch-style homes usually have one straight run down to the basement. A straight stair lift is the most common fit for that layout and tends to be the least complicated to install.
Split-level homes are different. Their short flights and landings often call for a curved rail that follows the turns, or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure each run before recommending either one.
Townhouses often have a straight interior stair between floors, so a straight lift can work well. If the unit is part of an association, check the rules before scheduling an install.
In walk-up apartments the stairs are usually shared, so the building owner has to agree to any equipment. For renters, it helps to raise the question with the landlord early.
Pope County sits in Minnesota's Glacial Lakes Region, with low rolling hills and lakes such as Lake Minnewaska, Pike Lake, Pelican Lake, Lake Emily and Amelia Lake. Homes on sloped lots or near the water often have steps from the driveway, deck or porch, not just inside.
For those exterior steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is the usual answer. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a short rise to an entry, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat-style lift.
About 25.7% of Pope County residents are 65 or older, so a lot of families here are thinking about how to stay in the house they already own. About 62.8% of residents live in rural areas, which means the nearest help can be a drive away.
If that includes someone in your family, the Pope County Veterans Service Office in Glenwood is a good first call at (320) 634-7846.
The Minnesota Elderly Waiver is the program in the list below that names home modifications as a covered benefit. It is for people 65 and older who meet income, asset and care-level rules, and you apply through the county's Long-Term Care Consultation office.
Other programs, such as USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants and the West Central Minnesota Communities Action housing work, do not mention stair lifts in their descriptions. They may still be worth a call, but ask directly whether a stair lift qualifies.
Minnesota also lists statewide options including the Alternative Care (AC) Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver, the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan) and the Minnesota Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (RLP). For general aging help, the Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) can be reached at (218) 281-8288.
Minnesota's main Medicaid home and community-based waiver for adults 65 and older, with home modifications listed as a covered benefit; the 2026 limits for a single applicant are $2,982 monthly income and $3,000 in assets, and a nursing facility level of care is required. Call (800) 333-2433 or apply through the county's Long-Term Care Consultation office.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for owners age 62 and older, to remove health or safety hazards. The source does not mention stair lifts, so confirm eligibility with the local Rural Development office.
Provides up to $6,800 for a service-connected disability, or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary home changes prescribed by a VA physician. The VA description lists stair glides among equipment it will not cover; covered examples include entrance changes, roll-in showers and permanent ramps.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, applied for on Form 26-4555 at va.gov. The source names ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
Provides homemaker and chore services, including minor home repairs, to older adults in Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties on a sliding fee from $10 to $40 per hour. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (218) 405-3011.
Income-based housing help for residents of Traverse, Stevens, Douglas, Pope and Grant counties, including home rehab work. The source does not say which modifications are covered or mention stair lifts; call (218) 405-3073.
State grants given to local organizations that help Minnesotans 65 and older stay in their homes, rather than paid directly to homeowners. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (320) 253-9349 to find out what is available.
A free information and referral service for adults 60 and older in a 21-county region of Northwest and West Central Minnesota; whether Pope County is included could not be confirmed, so ask when you call (218) 745-6733. It is not a cash grant and stair lifts are not mentioned.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
130 Minnesota Avenue East, Glenwood, 56334
Sometimes, but split-level homes often have short flights with landings. Those usually need a curved rail or a separate straight lift on each flight, which we can tell you after measuring.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps like porches, decks and driveway stairs. For a wheelchair user facing a short rise at the entry, a platform lift may be the better fit.
The Minnesota Elderly Waiver lists home modifications as a covered benefit for people 65 and older who meet the income, asset and care-level rules. Call (800) 333-2433 or contact the county's Long-Term Care Consultation office to apply.
The HISA grant description lists stair glides among items it does not cover, and the SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts. Talk with the Pope County Veterans Service Office in Glenwood at (320) 634-7846 about what may apply.
USDA Section 504 offers grants up to $7,500 for very-low-income rural homeowners age 62 and older, plus loans up to $20,000. The funds are meant to remove health or safety hazards, and stair lifts are not named, so confirm before counting on it.
West Central Minnesota Communities Action runs a Home Care & Repair Program for older adults in Pope County with fees from $10 to $40 per hour based on income. Call (218) 405-3011.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
