Chatham County covers a lot of rolling Piedmont ground, from the county seat in Pittsboro to Siler City, Goldston and Bennett out west and Moncure down by the river. In between are planned communities like Briar Chapel, Fearrington Village, Governors Club, Governors Village and Carolina Meadows, each with its own mix of house styles and staircases.
That range shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. An older farmhouse in the country, a split-level near Pittsboro and a newer multi-story house in Chatham Park can each call for a different lift. This page walks through what fits which kind of home and where to look for help with the cost.
Most homes in the county are single-family houses, with townhouses, walk-up apartments, split-level homes and ranch-style homes mixed in. Each one sets up the stairs a little differently, and the stairs decide the lift.
A single straight run of stairs, common in many two-story houses and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift. Staircases that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to that exact shape.
Split-level homes are their own case. You may have two or three short flights, so we look at which levels a person really needs to reach each day before recommending one lift or more.
Chatham County sits entirely in the Piedmont, and its land is described as gently rolling with several higher hills. On a sloped lot, a house that looks like one story from the road can have a long set of steps at the front or back door.
Even ranch-style homes, which most people think of as stair-free, often have entry steps or a stairway to a lower level. For outside steps, an outdoor stair lift built for the weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense.
The county is not served by an Interstate Highway, so drives between Siler City, Pittsboro and Moncure take time. We plan home visits with that in mind so measuring and installation fit together on the schedule.
About 25.3% of residents are 65 or older, and 73.7% are homeowners. That means many people own the house they plan to stay in, and owning it makes adding a permanent lift a simpler decision than it is for renters.
If that includes you or a parent, the veterans section below matters, because VA rules on stair lifts are specific.
Two North Carolina Medicaid waivers, CAP/DA and the NC Innovations Waiver, list home modifications among their approved services. Approval depends on an individual plan of care, so the request has to go through the program, not just the installer.
For veterans, the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The larger SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but their source does not name stair lifts, so ask before counting on them. Chatham County Veteran Services in Pittsboro can help you sort through VA options at (919) 545-8334.
Low-income homeowners who are elderly or have special needs can also look at the NC Housing Finance Agency repair programs, and the Central Pines Area Agency on Aging can point you to local partners. Statewide, the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1) is another program worth knowing about, though it is a tax program rather than a lift grant.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who need a nursing facility level of care, and "Equipment, modification and technology" is one of its 18 approved services, which can include a stair lift if it is approved in the person's plan of care. Call (888) 245-0179 to start.
Serves children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities diagnosed before age 22 and covers assistive technology and home modifications, though the waitlist can be ten years or longer. Call (919) 856-2195 to ask about the local process.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime, depending on disability status, for medically needed home changes such as ramps and widened doorways. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are excluded.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts, so confirm with the VA.
Repair and accessibility programs for low-income homeowners who are elderly or have special needs, run through local partners; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (919) 877-5700 to find the current Chatham County partner.
Offers information and referral, options counseling and a Veteran-Directed Service Program pilot for older adults and caregivers in Chatham County; a stair lift grant is not listed. Call (800) 310-9777 to ask which local partner offers home modification help.
A local nonprofit based in Pittsboro; its listed programs do not mention home repair or stair lifts. Call (919) 542-0794 to ask what it currently offers.
Older adults
1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh, 27605
Veterans
964 East Street, Suite 209, Pittsboro, 27312
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but do not name stair lifts, so call Chatham County Veteran Services at (919) 545-8334 to check your case.
Possibly. CAP/DA and the NC Innovations Waiver both cover home modifications when approved in an individual plan of care. For CAP/DA, call (888) 245-0179.
It depends on how many short flights you have and which levels are used every day. Split-levels sometimes need a lift on more than one flight, which we work out during the home visit.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, and a platform lift can work for someone who stays in a wheelchair. Sloped lots are common on the county's rolling terrain.
The Region J - Central Pines Regional Council AAA, at 1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200 in Raleigh, serves Chatham County. You can reach them at (919) 558-9394 or the Central Pines line at (800) 310-9777.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
