Grafton County was established in 1769, and many of its town centers, from Hanover to Haverhill, Orford and Bath, grew out of that 18th- and 19th-century settlement period. Homes from that era were usually built on more than one floor, with a full staircase between the ground-floor living space and the bedrooms upstairs.
That layout works fine until the stairs become the hardest part of the day. Across the county's 42 towns, including Lebanon, Plymouth, Littleton, Bristol and Lincoln, a stair lift is often the change that lets someone keep using the whole house instead of moving a bed into the dining room.
Most homes in towns of Grafton County's age were not designed with single-floor living in mind. The main staircase is the only way to the bedrooms, so a lift on that one run usually solves the biggest problem.
If the staircase goes straight from bottom to top, a straight rail is the simpler install. Stairs that turn at a landing or wind partway up need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase, which takes longer to measure and make.
Split-level homes bring a different question: there are often two or three short flights instead of one long one. We look at which flights you actually use every day before recommending anything.
The county's housing also includes townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. In a townhouse you own, the stairs are yours and a lift can go in much like it would in a single-family home.
In a walk-up apartment or a shared low-rise stairwell, the building owner has a say. It helps to talk with the landlord or association before an in-home visit so we know what is allowed.
Grafton County covers 1,749.7 square miles, the second-largest county in New Hampshire by area, and about half its land sits inside the White Mountain National Forest. Many of the state's 4,000-foot peaks are within its borders, and 65.7% of residents lived in rural areas as of the 2020 Census.
For a homeowner, that means long drives to medical providers and contractors, and snowy winters that make outside steps a real fall risk. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry can matter as much as the one inside, especially on a property with several levels.
With a population density of 53.3 people per square mile, scheduling can take some planning. Mention any entry steps when you first call so we can look at both on one trip.
About 22.6% of Grafton County residents are 65 or older, and 70.9% of households own their homes. Owning the house makes a permanent install much simpler, since there is no landlord approval to wait on.
The New Hampshire State Division of Veterans Services has a Littleton Office at 646 Union Street, Suite 100, and can be reached at (603) 444-2971 for help sorting out VA benefits.
No single program here simply writes a check for a stair lift, so the first step is usually getting screened. ServiceLink through the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council is the local starting point and can point you toward the funding that fits.
Granite State Independent Living is the one program in our list that names stair lifts outright, as part of its planning and funding-source help. Medicaid's Choices for Independence waiver and USDA Section 504 cover home modifications or repairs in general, and a stair lift would be decided case by case.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides as removable equipment. The state Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services in Concord, at (603) 271-9203, is another place to ask about state options, including New Hampshire Property Tax Relief for Elderly & Disabled Homeowners.
A Medicaid waiver for New Hampshire residents 65+ or 18-64 with a qualifying disability who meet nursing facility level of care; home modifications are a covered category, but stair lifts are not listed by name, so approval depends on the care plan. Slots are limited with a waiting list; call (866) 634-9412.
Free information, referral, Medicare counseling, caregiver support and assistive technology loans, open to the public in Grafton County; it does not mention stair lifts but is the local place to get screened for funding. Call (603) 448-1558.
Help with small household repairs, chores or safety modifications for older adults in Grafton and Sullivan Counties; stair lifts are not listed. Call (877) 711-7787.
A statewide program for residents with disabilities and older adults that evaluates accessibility needs, makes a modification plan, finds funding sources and refers to vendors; stair lifts are explicitly listed. Call (603) 228-9680.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes for veterans with a VA-rated disability; stair glides are explicitly excluded, so it does not cover a stair lift. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. Stair lifts are not listed by name in the source.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with grants limited to those 62+ who cannot repay a loan; stair lifts are not listed and would be reviewed case by case. Call (603) 223-6035.
Older adults
129 Pleasant Street, Concord, 03301
Veterans
646 Union Street, Suite 100, Littleton, 03561
Possibly, through the Choices for Independence waiver, which covers home modifications for safety and accessibility. Stair lifts are not named, so it depends on your approved care plan and case manager. The 2026 income limit is $2,982 a month for a single applicant; call (866) 634-9412.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides as removable equipment. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts by name. The Littleton Office of the state Division of Veterans Services at (603) 444-2971 can help you sort out what applies.
USDA Section 504 offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not listed, so they would be reviewed case by case. Call (603) 223-6035.
Granite State Independent Living lists stair lifts in its Home Access Modification Program. It does not hand out a fixed grant; it plans the modification and finds funding sources. Call (603) 228-9680.
Outdoor lifts and platform lifts are built for entry steps, and with the snowy winters here they are worth considering for multi-level properties. Tell us about outside steps on your first call so we can assess them on the same visit.
ServiceLink at the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council, (603) 448-1558. It is open to the public in Grafton County and can screen you toward the waiver, USDA, GSIL or other options.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
