Grant County grew up around mining, and you can still see it in how homes sit on the land. Many houses in and around Silver City, the county seat, were built on or near hillside terrain, which often means steps to the front door as well as stairs inside.
From Bayard and Hurley to Mimbres, Gila and White Signal, the county's 13 towns spread across mountainous high country. This page walks through how local homes and terrain shape the choice of a stair lift, and where Grant County families can look for help paying for one.
Grant County covers 3,968 square miles of the southwestern New Mexico highlands, with large portions of the Gila National Forest inside its borders. Homes built into slopes tend to have entry steps that climb from the driveway, and sometimes a second set of stairs between levels inside.
When we look at a house like this, we check the inside staircase and the outside approach separately. An indoor lift may solve the trip to the bedroom, while an outdoor lift or a platform lift may be the better answer for steps leading up to the door.
Local housing includes single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. A straight staircase with no turns or landings usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest kind to fit.
Split-level homes are a different case. Short runs of stairs between levels, or stairs that turn at a landing, may call for a curved lift built to that staircase. Townhouses often have one long straight run, which helps.
In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs may be shared space. Talk with the building owner before planning anything, because a lift on common stairs needs their approval.
The county's population is older than many places. About 28.3% of residents are 65 or older, and the 2020 Census put the median age at 49.3.
Most families here own their homes. Of the county's 12,269 households, 72.3% are owner-occupied according to the 2020 Census, so a lift is usually a decision the household can make on its own.
The 2010 Census put the county's median household income at $36,591, so cost is a real question for many families. The VA grants below fund home modifications for veterans who qualify, though their program pages do not name stair lifts specifically. Ask the VA directly whether your planned lift fits the grant.
For veterans, the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services has an office in Silver City at 1000 W. College Ave, Juan Chacon Bldg. Room 138-A. Call (575) 313-5627. You can also ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
For anyone, veteran or not, the SW NM AAA (Region V) in Silver City is a good first call at (575) 388-1959. Statewide, Access Loan New Mexico (NM Technology Assistance Program) is another option to ask about.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. It funds modifications for independent living such as ramps and widened doorways, but the source does not list stair lifts; the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services at (575) 313-5627 can help.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own the home being modified. The source does not list stair lifts; call the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services at (575) 313-5627 with questions.
For veterans who qualify for SAH or SHA and are living temporarily in a family member's home, this grant provides $9,100 to $50,961 depending on the underlying grant. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services at (575) 313-5627 can explain the process.
Older adults
P.O. Box 2157, Silver City, 88062
Veterans
1000 W. College Ave, Juan Chacon Bldg. Room 138-A, Silver City, 88061
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts and platform lifts are made for entry steps. We look at the outside approach separately from any indoor stairs, since many Grant County homes built on slopes have both.
It depends on the stairs. A straight run between levels can take a straight lift, while stairs that turn or have a landing usually need a curved lift built for that staircase.
The SAH, SHA and TRA grants fund home modifications for veterans who qualify, but the VA's pages do not name stair lifts specifically. Ask the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services in Silver City at (575) 313-5627.
The VA Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) Grant applies to veterans who qualify for SAH or SHA and are temporarily living in a family member's home. It ranges from $9,100 to $50,961 depending on which grant they qualify for.
Start with the SW NM AAA (Region V) in Silver City at (575) 388-1959. You can also ask about Access Loan New Mexico (NM Technology Assistance Program).
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
