Blaine County runs from the Canadian border down to the Missouri River, with most homes clustered in Hi-Line towns along US Highway 2. Chinook, the county seat, and Harlem sit in the Milk River valley, while Fort Belknap Agency, Hays and Lodge Pole lie on or near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The rest of the county is ranch and farm country spread over about 4,228 square miles.
That spread matters when you are thinking about a stair lift. Many ranch homes and farmhouses here are single-story, so the question often comes down to a basement or an upstairs bedroom. This page walks through which homes tend to need a lift, what kind fits, and where Blaine County families can look for help paying for it.
Much of the county's housing is older single-story ranch and farmhouse construction. In those homes a stair lift only comes into play if there is a full basement or a second story, and that is more common in the older in-town houses of Chinook and Harlem than out on ranch properties.
Split-level homes are a different story. A few short runs of stairs between levels can be harder on bad knees than one long flight, and each run may need its own lift. Townhouses and walk-up apartments also show up in the county, and in a rental you will want the owner's permission before anything is bolted to the stairs.
A straight stair lift fits a single flight with no turns, which describes many basement stairs in older town houses. If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved rail is built to that staircase, so we measure on site before quoting anything.
Manufactured homes often have entry steps outside rather than stairs inside. For those, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair can make more sense. Severe Hi-Line winters are part of life here, so an outdoor unit and the path to it need to be planned with snow and cold in mind.
Blaine County has only about 1.6 people per square mile. Long drives and hard winters affect how quickly installers and outreach workers can reach a home, especially out toward the Bear Paw Mountains, the Little Rocky Mountains or the Missouri River Breaks.
That is a good reason to start early. If a parent is already struggling with basement stairs in the fall, getting a home assessment and funding paperwork moving before winter saves a lot of waiting later.
Roughly 59.7% are homeowners, which matters because several funding programs require that you own and live in the home.
Veterans should talk with the Montana Veterans Affairs Division – Havre Veterans Service Office at 232 1st St W in Havre, (406) 265-4225, before applying for VA housing grants. A service officer can help sort out which grant, if any, fits.
Agriculture drives the local economy, and as of 2010 census data the median household income was $37,034 with 29.0% of residents below the poverty line. That makes low-income programs like USDA Section 504 and the Big Sky Waiver worth a close look before paying out of pocket.
Be aware that most of the programs below do not name stair lifts specifically, and one, the VA HISA grant, excludes them. Call first, describe the stairs and the need, and ask how the program treats a stair lift. The programs list below gives each one's phone number.
Other statewide options to ask about include the Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), Community First Choice Services (CFCS), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit.
A Medicaid program for people who are financially eligible and meet a nursing-facility level of care; it lists Environmental Adaptations as a covered service but does not name stair lifts, and it currently has a statewide waiting list. Call (800) 219-7035.
Serves adults 60+ and family caregivers in Blaine, Chouteau, Glacier, Liberty, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties with information, care management and referrals rather than cash grants; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (406) 271-7553, or the Area III office in Havre at (406) 265-5464.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income owners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan; examples include wheelchair ramps and walk-in tubs, but stair lifts are not named. Call (406) 357-2320.
Pays for medically needed structural changes up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status, but it specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not cover a stair lift. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; stair lifts are not named on the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
Offers advocacy, information and referral, peer support and Medicaid self-directed personal care coordination to Montanans with disabilities, and its service area includes Blaine County. Stair lifts and home-modification funding are not mentioned, and no phone number is listed in our source.
Low-interest loans for Montanans with disabilities, including age-related ones, to buy assistive technology or make home modifications; stair lifts are not named. Call (406) 454-5709.
Older adults
2 West 2nd Street, Havre, 59501
Veterans
232 1st St W, Havre, 59501
Often not inside. A lift usually only applies if there is a full basement or a second story. Outside entry steps are a separate question, and an outdoor lift or platform lift may help there.
The HISA grant does not; it excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts either way. Call (800) 827-1000 or the Havre Veterans Service Office at (406) 265-4225 to ask about your situation.
USDA Section 504 offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to very-low-income owners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not named, so call (406) 357-2320 to ask whether yours qualifies.
Probably not right away. The program has a statewide waiting list, and while it covers Environmental Adaptations, it does not name stair lifts. Your county Office of Public Assistance determines Medicaid financial eligibility.
The Area III - North Central Montana (Hi-Line) office is at 2 West 2nd Street in Havre, (406) 265-5464. The North Central Area Agency on Aging main office number is (406) 271-7553.
Yes. Blaine County is entirely rural, which meets the rural-area requirement for Section 504. You still need to own and live in the home and meet the income limit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
