Lea County covers 4,391 square miles of High Plains in the far southeastern corner of New Mexico, with seven towns: Hobbs, Lovington, North Hobbs, Eunice, Jal, Tatum and Monument. Most people live in or around Hobbs and the county seat, Lovington, but about a quarter of residents live in rural, spread-out communities.
Much of the housing here went up in oil-boom waves after the 1927 discovery near Hobbs, and those booms produced long stretches of single-story, ranch-style homes rather than tall buildings. That shapes what kind of stair lift, if any, a household here needs. This page walks through the homes, the choices and the programs that may help pay.
Ranch-style homes are common in Hobbs and the surrounding towns, and many have no indoor staircase at all. In those houses the trouble spot is usually the front or back entry steps, which is where an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift comes in.
Split-level homes are a different story. They often have short runs of stairs between levels, and each run may need its own straight lift. If the stairs turn or have a landing, a curved rail built to fit the staircase is the usual answer.
Townhouses and low-rise buildings tend to have one full flight inside. A straight stair lift is the most common fit there, as long as the staircase is wide enough and the owner or building allows the install.
According to the 2020 census, 75.1% of county residents lived in urban areas and 24.9% lived in rural, unincorporated communities. Rural households sit farther from home-modification contractors and medical equipment suppliers.
If you live outside Hobbs or Lovington, plan the measuring visit and any program paperwork early. Outdoor lifts also face the open High Plains weather, so ask about covers and weather-rated models for porch steps.
For a veteran with a service-connected disability, VA home adaptation grants are worth checking before paying out of pocket.
Roughly 67.8% of residents own their homes. That matters, because the VA grants and the USDA repair program both require the applicant to own the home being changed. Renters in townhouses or low-rise buildings will need the property owner's approval for any install.
The local economy runs on oil and gas from the Permian Basin, and the boom-bust cycle can make it hard for a fixed-income household to save for a home modification. Several programs may help, though none of the sources below names stair lifts outright, so always ask before you buy.
New Mexico's Medicaid waivers include home modifications, and the state line at (800) 432-2080 is the starting point. Rural homeowners with very low income may qualify for USDA repair loans or grants, and veterans can call the Veteran Service Officer in Hobbs at (575) 241-0714.
For aging services in this region, the Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) is at 417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis, NM 88101, phone (575) 763-9168.
A state Medicaid waiver that helps full-coverage Medicaid members stay at home, and its services include modifications to make a home safer and more accessible. Stair lifts are not named, so ask your managed care care coordinator; call (800) 432-2080.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver that lists environmental modifications to a participant's home for health, welfare, safety or independence. The source does not mention stair lifts specifically, so confirm with your support broker; call (800) 432-2080.
A statewide information and assistance line for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers, run by the state Aging and Long-Term Services Department. It does not fund stair lifts itself; call (800) 432-2080.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can borrow up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, and homeowners age 62 or older can get up to $10,000 in grants to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not listed as an eligible item, and your address must be in a USDA-eligible rural area.
A grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities who own or co-own the home. Stair lifts are not named on the VA page, so confirm your case with the VA or the local Veteran Service Officer.
A grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The source does not mention stair lifts specifically, so ask the VA about your situation.
Older adults
417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis, 88101
Veterans
2120 N. Alto St., Hobbs, 88240
Yes, if getting in and out is the problem. Many single-story homes in Lea County have steps at the front or back door, and an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those.
Possibly. The Community Benefit Program and the Mi Via waiver both include home modifications, but neither source names stair lifts, so ask your care coordinator or support broker. The state number is (800) 432-2080.
The USDA Section 504 program serves very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and parts of Lea County qualify. Grants of up to $10,000 are limited to homeowners age 62 or older and must be used to remove health and safety hazards.
Veteran Service Officer Fred Solis-Littlejohn works at 2120 N. Alto St., Hobbs, NM 88240, and can be reached at (575) 241-0714. Ask about the VA SAH and SHA grants.
The Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) is located in Clovis at 417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, and the phone is (575) 763-9168. The statewide ADRC line is (800) 432-2080.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
