From the lake cottages around Lake Mohawk and Highland Lakes to the old farmhouses on former dairy land near Wantage and Frankford, Sussex County homes were built for a different era. Many sit on sloped lots with long driveways, split entries and outdoor steps that take a beating every winter.
Across the county's 29 towns, the question we hear most is simple: can this house work for one more decade, or is it time to move? A stair lift is often the answer, but the right kind depends on your stairwell, your entry and how much snow lands on your steps. Here is what to look at, and where to find help paying for it.
Sussex County's housing runs from 1920s-1950s Colonials and farmhouses to mid-century ranches and split-levels, with clusters of lake cottages and log cabins in planned lake communities. Lake Mohawk in Sparta and Byram was developed starting in 1924. Highland Lakes in Vernon followed in the 1930s as a NYC-area summer retreat.
Many of those lake cottages started as seasonal places heated only by a fireplace and were later converted to year-round homes. That usually means older, narrower stairwells and add-on entries that were never built with stair lift rail clearance in mind. We measure the width, the landings and any turns before recommending anything.
A single straight run in a Colonial or farmhouse is often a good fit for a straight rail. Split-level homes are different: short flights between levels may need more than one lift, or a curved rail if you want one continuous ride.
The county sits in New Jersey's northwestern Appalachian corner, between the Kittatinny Valley and the Highlands. High Point in Montague Township reaches 1,803 ft, the highest point in the state. Lift-off from the Kittatinny Ridge puts the county in a snow belt that averages 40-50 inches of snow a year, and January lows in Newton average around 17°F.
That climate matters if the hardest steps are outside. Exterior entry stairs, porches and walkout basements on sloped lots are common here, and an outdoor stair lift for those spots should have freeze-rated components. We will talk through where the rail runs, how it is protected and how you will keep the steps clear in winter.
About 18.5% of Sussex County residents are 65 or older, and 86.1% of households own their home. For many of those owners, the stairs are the only thing standing between them and staying.
The median property value in the county was $369,400 in 2024. Selling and moving to a single-level home can easily run past $20,000-$30,000 once realtor commission, closing costs and movers are added up. A straight stair lift typically runs roughly $2,500-$4,500 installed, so for most families the lift is the far cheaper option.
No local program below states that it pays for stair lifts, so it helps to know what each one actually does before you call. NORWESCAP's senior repair program explicitly excludes ramps, and Habitat for Humanity Northwest New Jersey does not name stair lifts on its pages.
Your best first call is the Sussex County Division of Senior Services at (973) 579-0555, 1 Spring Street, 2nd Floor, Newton. Its ADRC staff can point you toward statewide options such as Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) and NJ Medicaid MLTSS.
If that includes you or your parent, contact Sussex County Veterans Services at (973) 827-4020, 48 Wyker Road, Franklin, and ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The Sussex VA Clinic is in Newton.
Free minor home repairs, weatherization and accessibility improvements for adults 60+ in Sussex, Warren or Hunterdon County, funded through the Sussex County Division of Senior Services. Published materials exclude ramps and do not cover stair lifts; call (888) 454-4778 about other repairs.
Home repairs for Sussex or Warren County homeowners at 0-80% of Area Median Income, with sliding-scale repayment and a 10% discount for veterans; stair lifts are not listed. Its Aging in Place pages mention only Warren County residents, so call (908) 835-1300 to ask what Sussex homeowners can get.
The county's official information, referral and care-planning hub for seniors, adults 18+ with a disability and their caregivers; it is not known to fund stair lifts directly. Call (973) 579-0555 to ask whether a case manager can connect you with home modification funding.
A statewide New Jersey program; whether it covers stair lifts is not stated here. Ask the Sussex County Division of Senior Services at (973) 579-0555 whether you may qualify.
New Jersey's Medicaid managed long-term services and supports program; stair lift coverage is not stated here. The county ADRC at (973) 579-0555 can help you check eligibility.
VA benefits for eligible veterans; stair lift coverage is not stated here. Start with Sussex County Veterans Services at (973) 827-4020 in Franklin or the Sussex VA Clinic in Newton, NJ.
Older adults
1 Spring Street, 2nd Floor, Newton, 07860
Veterans
48 Wyker Road, Franklin, 07416
Sometimes, but it has to be measured. Many Lake Mohawk and Highland Lakes cottages were seasonal homes later converted to year-round use, with older, narrower stairwells and add-on entries not built for full-size rail clearance. We check width and landings in person before recommending a straight or curved rail.
The county averages 40-50 inches of snow a year, and January lows in Newton average around 17°F. For exterior entry stairs, porches or walkout basements, we recommend a lift with freeze-rated components and a plan for keeping the steps clear.
Its published materials say services do not include ramps, and stair lifts are not mentioned, so it is not a realistic source for one. It does offer free minor repairs for adults 60+; call (888) 454-4778.
Sussex homeowners at 0-80% of Area Median Income are eligible for the general Home Repair Program. One page limits the Aging in Place modifications to Warren County residents 60+, so call (908) 835-1300 to confirm. Stair lifts are not named on either page.
Usually. A straight stair lift typically runs roughly $2,500-$4,500 installed, while selling and moving within the county can easily exceed $20,000-$30,000 once commission, closing and moving costs are counted.
Call Sussex County Veterans Services at (973) 827-4020, 48 Wyker Road, Franklin, and ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The Sussex VA Clinic is in Newton, and Habitat for Humanity Northwest New Jersey gives veterans a 10% discount on its home repair program.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
