Cheshire County has the second-oldest housing stock of any county in New Hampshire. About 27.4% of its roughly 35,777 housing units were built in 1939 or earlier, and many of those Federal-period, Cape and farmhouse designs around Keene, Walpole, Jaffrey and Fitzwilliam still have their original narrow, steep staircases.
Add the hills that rise toward Mount Monadnock, and a lot of homes in the county's 25 towns come with long driveways, entry steps and more than one level. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and which local and state programs may help with the cost.
Roughly 9,788 homes in the county date to 1939 or earlier. Staircases in Federal-period houses, Capes and farmhouses were built for the space available, not for accessibility, so they are often tight, steep or turn partway up.
A straight stair lift works on a single run with no turns. When a staircase bends, has a landing or winds near the top, a curved lift built to that staircase is usually the answer. We measure the width, the pitch and where the rail can mount before recommending either one.
The county's median construction year is 1972, so plenty of homes are split-level or ranch-style rather than old farmhouses. A split-level may have several short flights, and each flight is looked at on its own.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments are also part of the local mix. In a walk-up, the building owner generally has to approve anything mounted on a shared stair, so it helps to ask before scheduling a visit.
Cheshire County covers about 707 square miles of hilly, forested ground in the southwestern corner of the state, topping out at Mount Monadnock at 3,165 feet. In towns like Dublin, Stoddard, Nelson and Harrisville, getting from the car to the front door can be its own climb.
For outside steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the entry along with the inside stairs so nothing gets missed.
About 21.7% of the county's 78,780 residents are 65 or older, and the county skews older than both the state and national averages. About 70.3% of households own their home, which matters because owners can usually approve a stair lift installation themselves.
VA housing benefits have specific rules about stair lifts, covered in the programs below.
Few programs pay for stair lifts by name. Granite State Independent Living is the one source here that explicitly lists stair lifts among the services it helps arrange, so it is a good first call.
The ADRC for the Monadnock Region at (603) 352-7707 is the entry point for the Choices for Independence waiver and the county Handyman Program. Neither one names stair lifts as a covered item, but a counselor can tell you what applies to your situation. New Hampshire also offers property tax relief for elderly and disabled homeowners, which may ease the overall household budget.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver for people 65 and older, or adults 18-64 with disabilities, who meet nursing facility level of care; it lists ramps, grab bars and doorway widening as home modifications, but stair lifts are not mentioned. Income limit is $2,982/month and assets $2,500 for a single person; apply through the ADRC at (866) 634-9412 or at nheasy.nh.gov.
A county-funded home modification program, reached through ServiceLink/ADRC, that helps low-income residents who need upgrades to avoid nursing-home placement; it funds ramps, accessible showers and wider doors, and stair lifts are not named. The county budgets roughly $50,000 a year and funds have run out mid-year before, so call (603) 357-1922 early.
A free counseling and referral center for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers in every Cheshire County town; it does not list stair lift installation as a service but is the way into the CFI waiver and Handyman Program. Call (603) 352-7707, or toll-free 866-634-9412 or 866-826-2340.
A nonprofit program serving New Hampshire residents, including Cheshire County, that explicitly lists stair lifts among the modifications it helps arrange and helps find funding project by project. Call (603) 228-9680 or toll-free 800-826-3700.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 lifetime for veterans with a service-connected rating of 50% or higher, or up to $2,000 for others who qualify, for medically necessary home changes. The VA specifically excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts; the State of New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services at (603) 624-9230 can help with other VA questions.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or intend to own the home; the VA's examples are ramps and widened doorways, and stair lifts are not mentioned. The Division of Veterans Services at (603) 624-9230 can help you sort out eligibility.
Older adults
129 Pleasant Street, Concord, 03301
Veterans
275 Chestnut Street, Room 517, Manchester, 03101-2411
Often it can, but it depends on the width, the pitch and whether the stair turns. Straight runs take a straight lift, and stairs with a turn or landing need a curved lift built to fit. We measure before recommending anything.
Granite State Independent Living's Home Access Modification Program explicitly lists stair lifts and helps find funding for each project. Call (603) 228-9680 or 800-826-3700.
The Choices for Independence waiver covers adults 18-64 with disabilities who meet nursing facility level of care, though stair lifts are not named among its covered modifications. GSIL also serves people with disabilities regardless of age group listed.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts. For other veteran benefits, call the State of New Hampshire Division of Veterans Services at (603) 624-9230.
The ADRC for the Monadnock Region at (603) 352-7707 can screen for the CFI waiver and the county Handyman Program. For statewide aging services, the Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services in Concord is at (603) 271-9203.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift may suit someone who uses a wheelchair. We look at the entry and the inside stairs on the same visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
